Here’s Everything We Know About ‘Rocketman,’ the Upcoming Elton John Biopic
Everyone’s celebrating Elton John! (As well they should.) Two separate tribute albums, Revamp and Restoration, just came out. Now, the news has just broken that Paramount Pictures has just greenlit Rocketman, a brand new Elton John biopic. But who’s making it? And who will play Elton? And what will it look like? Relax — here’s everything we know about the upcoming film.
What is Rocketman?
Rocketman has been kicking around since 2011, when it was first announced. The Elton John biopic will be authorized — Elton John and his husband David Furnish are producing it. The film was originally announced as “a radically different kind of biopic… told in a non-linear and hyper-visual manner.” However, of late, it’s been described as “an unvarnished rock ‘n’ roll biopic, with John’s life stripped back of the glitter.” We’ll have to see which form the final film takes (assuming they don’t somehow merge these two seemingly-at-odds descriptions.)
The script is from Lee Hall, who is best known for Billy Elliot, the famous film about a young working-class boy who discovers the joy of dance. This isn’t the first time Hall and John have worked together; when Hall adapted Billy Elliot for the West End, Elton John wrote the score.
Who’s got the lead role in the Elton John biopic?
Along with the film getting the greenlight, it was also just announced that Taron Egerton will play Elton John. Egerton, who is most famous for his role in the Kingsmen: The Secret Service series, will also be singing John’s songs in the film.
It was previously announced that Tom Hardy had the role — but that was when the film was scheduled to shoot in fall 2014. Unfortunately, he pulled out due to having trouble with the singing. Back when Hardy was cast, the film was going to be directed by Michael Gracey, who just directed The Greatest Showman. Which brings us to…
Who is directing Rocketman?
A man named Dexter Fletcher. If that name sounds familiar — it should. He’s also directing Bohemian Rhapsody, the upcoming Freddie Mercury biopic. Back when Fletcher was tapped for that film, we ran a full profile on him. If you’d like more information, check that piece out — but here’s the short version.
Fletcher’s been acting since 1976, though his breakout role in America was as Soap in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Though he’s had a long acting career, his first film as a director was Wild Bill in 2011. He’s also directed the Proclaimers’ jukebox musical Sunshine on Leith and Eddie the Eagle, a comedy based on the true story of Michael “Eddie the Eagle” Edwards, the English ski jumper sent to the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, Canada. Egerton played the lead role in Eddie the Eagle.
Also, in case you worried, there should be no conflicts between Fletcher’s Bohemian Rhapsody duties and Rocketman — the Queen film is just about finished, and will be coming out Nov. 2, moved up over a month from its original release date, Dec. 25.
Rocketman is set to begin this summer. No release date has been announced, but we likely wouldn’t see it before Winter 2019 at the soonest.
Are you looking forward to Rocketman, the new Elton John biopic? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image by Andrew Potter
