A New C.S. Lewis Film is Coming Soon

Fans of C.S. Lewis, see the life of the great man like never before.

Heading to a screen near you soon, The Most Reluctant Convert is a feature-length movie about the life and faith of one of England’s greatest Christian writers and thinkers: C.S. Lewis.

The Most Reluctant Convert is being produced by A1 Productions whose other releases feature Tony Robinson (Blackadder), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes), Helen Baxendale (Friends), John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Ewan McGregor (Star Wars).

Read the studio’s description of the film: “‘The Most Reluctant Convert’ is an unusual film drama, based on a highly successful theatrical production in the United States. The renowned actor, Max McLean, becomes C.S. Lewis on screen in an entertaining yet life-changing journey from hard-boiled atheist to “the most reluctant convert in all England.” Using a dramatic new approach to filmic storytelling, this costume drama will surprise as well as inform.”

The film is set largely before the release of The Chronicles of Narnia. It explores how C.S. Lewis went from an impassioned atheist to one of the leading Christian writers in the modern world. It follows Lewis’ childhood, his experiences in World War 1 and the friendships that rekindled his faith.

The Most Reluctant Convert is directed by the BAFTA-winning Norman Stone and was shot in and around Oxford, bringing a real-life authenticity to the story. This isn’t the first time Norman Stone has directed a film about C.S. Lewis. In 1986, Stone released Shadowlands, a dramatic retelling of the relationship between C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidson. It was its film that landed Norman Stone his BAFTA.

Matthew Jenkins is one of the producers of The Most Reluctant Convert. He also produced the recent big-budget Poirot movies, The Orient Express and the forthcoming Death on the Nile, both starring Kenneth Brannagh. Playing C.S. Lewis in his 20s is Nicholas Ralph, who recently starred in the Channel 5 Drama ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. Nicholas Ralph is one of three actors, playing Lewis at different stages of life. Playing Lewis as a child is newcomer Eddie Ray Martin and playing the older Lewis is Max McLean.

Watch the Trailer for A Most Reluctant Convert here

About C.S. Lewis

Born Clive Staples Lewis in Belfast in 1898, C.S. Lewis was sent to boarding school at the age of nine. All throughout his boyhood, books and animals played an important part. From the stories of Beatrix Potter to his beloved dog whose name Lewis adopted after the dog was run over by a car, animals loomed so largely in Lewis’ life that you’ll find a whole menagerie of talking creatures in his Narnia stories, from the smallest mouse to the mightiest lion.

Both a leading British writer and lay theologian, C.S Lewis held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford and Cambridge. This love and knowledge of literature can be felt in every single one of his books. C.S. Lewis is best known for his works of fiction. Not only his cherished Chronicles of Narnia series but also the wry Screwtape’s Letters and an epic work of Science Fiction referred to as The Space Trilogy.

But, resisting easy categorisation, C.S. Lewis didn’t only write fiction. He wrote books of Christian Apologetics, deeply felt discussions on grief, an autobiography, studies of the Bible and dozens more on various aspects of faith and life. The most popular of these is Mere Christianity. Adapted from a series of radio talks Lewis gave, the book has become an essential read for Christians around the world as it ‘explain[s] and defend[s] the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times’.

Despite being famous as much for his faith as his fiction, C.S. Lewis wasn’t always a believer. ‘According to Lewis's memoir Surprised by Joy, he was baptised in the Church of Ireland but fell away from his faith during adolescence. Lewis returned to Anglicanism at the age of 32’. This was in part thanks to his friends, some of which are just as famous as Lewis himself.

All in all, C.S. Lewis wrote more than 30 books which have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies.

And now, after a lifetime of books, the story of C.S. Lewis is coming to the screen.

About ‘The Most Reluctant Convert’ Play

Fans of C.S. Lewis may recognise the title of the new film. That’s because it’s an adaptation of a one-man stage play from 2016 which also stars Max McLean who, in the film, plays the older C.S. Lewis. The play received rave reviews and is available on DVD now. The perfect warm-up for the coming movie!

Where to Watch the Film

The Most Reluctant Convert is available to watch on DVD from 27th May 2022. You can buy the DVD here.

Books by C.S. Lewis

In the meanwhile, this is the perfect opportunity to read, re-read or re-re-read the brilliant books by C.S. Lewis. If you want to get a first-hand account of the life of C.S. Lewis, then be sure to read Surprised by Joy, in which he writes about his journey from atheism to faith.

If you haven’t read anything by C.S. Lewis before and want to know where to begin, check out our list of 7 essential books by C.S. Lewis.

Or, something a little different, why not try one of these brilliant books about C.S. Lewis by other writers whose lives were changed by him?

Becoming Mrs Lewis by Patti Callahan

“Shortlisted for The Goldsboro Books Historical Romantic Novel Award. One of the great love stories of modern times, Becoming Mrs Lewis reveals the passionate, private lives of the beloved, world-renowned author C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman, the fiercely independent woman he called his 'whole world'.”

If you want to find out even more about Joy Davidson, then I definitely recommend Abigail Santamaria's biography, Joy: Poet, Seeker and the Woman Who Captivated C. S. Lewis.

Other great books about C.S. Lewis include:

C S Lewis: A Life by Alister McGrath

“A comprehensive look at the man behind the fountain pen [...] Life-long fan, Alister McGrath seeks to write a book which shines a light into the shadows. The result is an articulate, deeply researched and unsentimental portrait of the Christian scholar, theologian and author.”

Deep Magic, Dragons and Talking Mice by Alister McGrath

Not content to write about the life of C.S. Lewis, Alister McGrath takes a dive into the fantastical imagination of Lewis and what we can gain from reading the Chronicles of Narnia and what Lewis’ faction has to say about the big questions of life.

The Reading Life by C.S. Lewis

A book for bookworms. The Reading Life gathers together a range of writing and excerpts from C.S. Lewis about books, reading and writing. It’s filled with passages that celebrate reading and the role it played in Lewis’ life.

Interesting Facts about C.S. Lewis

I’ve mentioned that it was C.S. Lewis's friends that helped bring him back to faith, but did you know that one of those friends was the fantasy author and creator of Middle Earth J.R.R. Tolkien? In fact, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were firm friends. They both worked together at Oxford University and even had a literary society known as The Inklings.

It would seem that the opinions of his friends meant a lot to C.S. Lewis. Did you know C.S. Lewis destroyed his first draft of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe after showing it to his friends? The book itself took him 10 years to write in the end.

Speaking of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, you may be surprised to know that not as much of it is made up as you thought. The book was inspired by three young girls that Lewis knew during WW1.

So, we have them to thank for the book that sparked the imaginations of millions. But what’s your favourite C.S. Lewis book? Let us know in the comments and check out our C.S. Lewis store.

How Can I Watch The Most Reluctant Convert?

The Most Reluctant Convert is available on DVD on 27th May 2022. You can order the DVD here.