FPA’s C.S. Lewis Film Trilogy Marches Toward Production
With Stories Now Developed, Full Scripts Come Next
FPA’s second and third films – which will complete a trilogy on the life of C.S. Lewis – have fully developed story outlines and first drafts of the scripts. Script development will continue through the entire pre-production process.
Production on both films launches in Oxford, England, in August and continues through October, with planned release dates in 2024 and 2025.
“Our first film – The Most Reluctant Convert – led us on Lewis’ journey from a debunking atheist to full-orbed believer in Jesus Christ,” said FPA Founder and Artistic Director Max McLean, who stars as the elder Lewis. “The second film follows his growth as a rising academic star along with becoming the most influential Christian writer and thinker of the past century and reaching a massive global audience. That is a rare, if not unheard of, combination.”
There were costs, as well. Lewis’ academic career suffered as colleagues considered his growing popularity and Christian views to be unworthy distractions for a respected Oxford don.
The film will explore his complex relationship with Mrs. Moore that was formed prior to his conversion as well as that of his brother, Warnie. It also follows his attempt to keep together The Inklings, his group of close, literary friends such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Charles Williams. All as the BBC gave him a national platform to give talks that provided hope as Hitler’s air raid blitz ravages Great Britain.
Lewis on the cover of Time magazine following publication of The Screwtape Letters (clockwise from top). Lewis and his wife, Joy Davidman. The Kilns, Lewis’ beloved home for all of his adult life. The Eagle and Child pub, affectionately known as Bird and Baby to Lewis’ group of friends and intellectuals, The Inklings.
“Don’t think you know C.S. Lewis until you see the films,” said BAFTA-winning director Norman Stone, who is directing all three movies. “He’s our fellow Christian. He wanted truth. He has earned the right to be heard. He went through really tough stuff emotionally and physically.”
In the third film, we journey with Lewis through the final chapter of his life. As his reputation as a writer and scholar is firmly established, he meets Joy Davidman, a brash, American, ex-Communist, Jewish convert to Christianity. Their relationship has been explored in the past but so much new information has emerged that it is a story worth revisiting. Without giving away too much, it’s a relationship between equally matched people that will take audiences on an emotional journey not to be missed.
“FPA could not do any of this without the very generous support of our Fellowship Circle of donors,” Max said. “The success of the first film went way beyond everyone’s expectations. And it is still doing very well. We believe the next two films will go well beyond the first.”
The Most Reluctant Convert, the first of the trilogy, is currently available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Sony, PureFlix, Google Play and YouTube. DVDs and Blu-ray discs are available through many online retailers, and licensed showings for groups are available as well. You can find all this information and more at CSLewisMovie.com.