Another incredible book is receiving an on-screen adaptation. Today, Collider is thrilled to exclusively announce that John Hendrix’s graphic novel, The Mythmakers, is slated to receive a feature-length animated makeover worthy of the two titans of writing at the center of the story. Set to release under Aaron Burns’ Burns & Co., with acclaimed filmmaker, Justin Strawhand (Birthright Outlaw) standing at the helm, the movie charts the incredible true story behind the friendship of celebrated authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The scribes behind The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, respectively, would first cross paths in 1926 during a faculty meeting at Merton College, but their legacy as peers and the influence they would have on one another, not just as writers but as humans, would go on for decades until Lewis’ death. The news comes just days before the book joins other incredible titles vying for the Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work at this year’s SDCC.
Beyond excited to take the incredible story told in The Mythmakers and transform it into an on-screen production, Burns, who will produce alongside director and screenplay scribe, Strawhand, as well as Angela Galgani Sullivan, said,
“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.”
The Author Behind ‘The Mythmakers’
With a penchant for telling stories about historical figures who have a strong faith background — like both Lewis and Tolkien — The Mythmakers is far from the first time that Hendrix has dug into such rich themes. The author has previously released titles, including The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler, The Holy Ghost, Go and Do Likewise!, and Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus, each of which ties into the Christian experience in one way or another.
In a statement released with today’s big announcement, 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.”
As of right now, The Mythmakers hasn’t set a release date.
via Collider