Nicholas Hoult, who has a fun turn in “The Favourite,” has the title role here — a possible “serious actor” break-out moment for him in a picture that has  prestige and fangirl/fanboy appeal built into it, sort of in that “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” way.

Here, we’re given a love story (Lily Collins co-stars) and a taste of the events that gave J.R.R.’s imagination room to roam, and a woman he’d love to impress by writing the blockbuster fantasy trilogy of all time.

“Tolkien” opens in limited release May 10.