Matthew Lewis to star in Brontë sisters biopic
According to the Keighley News, Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) has been signed on to play Branwell Bronte, brother to the famous writer sisters of the same surname, in a biopic about their lives. The film, titled The Brontes, will apparently be created by Yorkshire-based film company Clothworkers Films, the budget estimated to be around £10 million.
The character of Branwell, who is described as “troubled,” was a “portrait painter, a tutor and a railway clerk, but his health was badly affected by his dependence on drink and opium. He died in 1848, aged just 31, and is interred in the family vault in Haworth.” Because of this, it is said that the film “will see [Lewis] getting to grips with a character who struggled to find a niche in life, despite being a capable scholar and a published poet.”
The Brontes will be directed by David Anthony Thomas, who said he is “really excited” to work with Lewis. He exclaimed,
Matthew has been my first choice to play Branwell since we first started working on the production, and I’m delighted he’s agreed to play the role.
The director has let it be known that he is a big fan of the Brontë sisters, saying that “he wants the film to be faithful to history, while being accessible to audiences unfamiliar with the Brontës’ work.”
Expect the film to be released on April 21, 2016, which will be the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charlotte Brontë.
What do you think about the idea of said movie? Are you excited to see Matt play the role of Branwell? Let us know in the comments below.
