Lewis and Tolkien in the Theater Again
Door Jam: July 28, 2025
The Door Jam is a place to squeeze in articles about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, their work, adaptations of their fantasy worlds, news from other franchises, and interesting articles. Unless otherwise stated, I’m not endorsing (or criticizing) any of these but merely sharing them with you.
Lewis and Tolkien will be returning to theaters, not only with adaptations of their fictional works, but also with adaptations of their real-life friendship. This won’t be their first time in the theater, as the duo went to a movie together in 1939.
It’s a great time to be a Tolkien and Lewis fan. In addition having access to all their written works, we have not only seen the groundbreaking The Lord of the Rings trilogy (the less said about The Hobbit trilogy, the better), but we will soon see Tolkien and Lewis adaptations return to theaters (Narnia, The Screwtape Letters, and The Lord of the Rings), as well as movies exploring their relationship.
Collider recently reported that John Hendrix’s graphic novel detailing Tolkien and Lewis’ friendship, The Mythmakers, will be adapted into an animated movie. Aaron Burns’ Burns & Co. has secured the rights, and Justin Strawhand will serve as director and screenwriter.
Burns told Collider:
“C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien’s works have inspired me for as long as I can remember. When I read John Hendrix’s The Mythmakers, I immediately knew that Burns & Co. needed to adapt it into an animated film as special as the book. John’s words and images literally leap off the page, so I can’t wait to capture his creativity and craft a timeless film that families can enjoy for years to come.”
For his part, Hendrix said:
“I am thrilled to have Burns & Co. adapting The Mythmakers into a feature-length, animated film. I knew from our first conversation that their team really understood the book and shared my love for the mythology behind Lewis, Tolkien, the Inklings, and the worlds they built together.
The Mythmakers book itself was a five-year project, but in many ways, the story began in my own heart when I first read The Hobbit when I was 10 years old. I am eager to see how the amazing team led by Aaron Burns translates that nostalgic wonder many of us share to a new audience, in a new medium. As Lewis and Tolkien have taught us, art gets better in community, and I’m excited to share this story with a larger fellowship on the big screen.”
Additionally, Angel Studios is also working on Fellowship, a project about the duo directed by Paul Syrstad, a filmmaker based in London. Syrstad told Crosswalk:
“The beautiful premise of it is, without each other, neither would have completed their greatest works. You know, Lewis was convinced of Christianity by Tolkien, and without that, we wouldn't have gotten the wonderful works in Narnia. But also, Tolkien was quite set on finishing [his works] at The Hobbit and kind of putting the full stop there. But Lewis was one of the ones who really impressed upon him to keep going and to actually take all of his, you know, scribbles, and pull them together into the cohesive great work that is The Lord of the Rings. So if …either of them failed, you know, their masterpieces would not have been a blessing to the world.”
Despite their being adaptations of both Lewis and Tolkien’s lives, those movies have not included the relationship between the two and the Inklings. As part of their friendship, they actually went to the movies together to see Walt Disney’s 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Lewis first saw it with his brother in January 1939. In a letter that same month, Lewis said it was “inconceivably good and bad.” He enjoyed the “terrifying bits” but particularly disliked the dwarfs’ appearance and their music.
Later, Lewis saw it again with Tolkien, who was, perhaps unsurprisingly, more pointed in his criticism of Snow White as a whole and the dwarves in particular. Tolkien would go on to be a lifelong critic of Disney and his treatment of fairy tales.
When working out the illustrations for his books in America, Tolkien said he would “veto anything from or influenced by the Disney studios (for all whose works I have a heartfelt loathing).”
I wrote a little more about the two friends going to see Snow White during our Prince Caspian read-along.
Sources:
Not Safe But Good
C.S. Lewis quote of the week
We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship.
Tumnus’ bookshelf
More books by or about Lewis or Tolkien
If you want to read more of Tolkien’s thoughts on Disney animation and basically everything else, read The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (ebook on sale for $1.99 -82%). The hardcover edition is $18.23 (-54%).
In addition, two volumes of Lewis’ letters are on sale: The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 1: Family Letters, 1905-1931 (ebook $2.99 -81%) and The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 2: Books, Broadcasts, and the War, 1931-1949 (ebook $2.99 -85%).
Speaking of Inklings letters, check out Tolkien’s Letters From Father Christmas, which he wrote for his children (ebook $1.99 -83%).
Other Tolkien books on sale:
The Silmarillion (ebook $1.99 -83%, paperback $11.49 -39%)
The History of the Hobbit (ebook $3.99 -83%)
Also, there are dozens of Tolkien books on sale at Amazon that I didn’t mention directly. Go to his author page and see if any that you don’t have are marked down.
Behind the Wardrobe
Sneak peek at the bonus articles
For paid subscribers below, there are articles addressing Lewis’ “most prescient work,” what makes Lewis remain relevant, a Christian band including a nod to Lewis in their latest song, Australia’s Narnia, the discovery of a first-edition copy of The Hobbit, a forest that likely inspired some of Middle-earth’s most famous forests, and more.
