New film mixes comic books with the drama of a teen dying of leukemia

Mar 22, 2012 15:00 GMT  ·  By

Donald is a very talented young man, who dreams of one day becoming the next big thing in graphic novels. Donald is also dying, and he hasn't even had a chance to live yet.

A new trailer for “Death of a Superhero” has been released, aiming to offer a better look at the heartbreaking plot.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster is Donald, the teen boy who's dying of leukemia. He's angry, feels cheated and, at the same time, yearns to have an actual life before his time comes.

Andy Serkis, whose name you might know from a little film franchise known as “The Lord of the Rings” (yes, he was Gollum), is an unorthodox therapist who will try to help him cope with the idea that he's dying with every day he lives.

Aisling Loftus is the love interest, a teen girl who turns out to be just as quirky as our... superhero.

“Death of a Superhero” will arrive on VOD on April 16, have limited US release in May, and hit the Toronto Film Festival.