Tom Hiddleston Plays The Mysterious Lead In The Life Of Chuck
Loki and The Night Manager star Tom Hiddleston takes on his latest role in The Life of Chuck, a new film adapted from a Stephen King story of the same name. The titular Chuck is a mild mannered accountant, who seems to have his fate tied to the end of the world itself in this sci-fi drama film. Also starring are Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), Karen Gillian (Guardians of the Galaxy), Nick Offerman (The Last of Us) and Jacob Tremblay (Room). Here’s everything you need to know:
What is The Life of Chuck about?
The film might be adapted from a Stephen King story, and directed by Mike Flanagan (best known for The Haunting of Hill House and The Midnight Club), but it’s not a horror story. The Life of Chuck is, in part, about the apocalypse, which is looming over at the start of the film. The narrative focuses on various people who have been caught up in the world-ending event, including a teacher (Ejiofor), who’s trying to rationalise what’s happening, as well as his ex (Gillian), who works in a hospital. No one knows if anything can be done to avert their fate, but the key to everything is Chuck Krantz, whose image keeps popping up in the backdrop of these scenes.
But who is Chuck, where does he come from, and why does he seem so important? Posters with this face on congratulate him for “39 great years”- but what does that mean exactly? The cryptic and non-linear narrative moves back and forth in time, and we see Chuck as an adult, played by Hiddleston, but also when he was younger, played variously by Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak and Cody Flanagan. His grandparents, who raised him, also appear, played by Star Wars’ Mark Hamill and Mia Sara (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).
The importance of Chuck and his connection to all of these events and characters isn’t immediately clear, but The Life of Chuck is a story more about hope and positivity in the face of impending doom- this isn’t meant to be a depressing story. If you’re intrigued to see what exactly it all means, you can watch the film when it arrives in UK cinemas today [20th August].
