Elton John is one of the most accomplished musical artists in history, and now his larger-than-life story is coming to the big screen.
“Rocketman,” which bills itself as not a pure biopic, but rather, “a musical fantasy,” will hit theaters on May 31. Welsh actor and singer Taron Egerton — best known for his work in the “Kingsman” movies — will portray a young Elton.
The story is set to follow the singer from the period that he began to achieve superstardom through to his recovery from drug and alcohol addiction in the 1990s.
“This inspirational story — set to Elton John’s most beloved songs and performed by star Taron Egerton — tells the universally relatable story of how a small-town boy became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture,” reads the film’s official description, in part.
Check out the new trailer for “Rocketman,” from Paramount Pictures, in the clip below:
British actor Jamie Bell co-stars as Elton’s longtime lyricist and writing partner, Bernie Taupin. Former “Game of Thrones” star Richard Madden will play the entertainer’s first manager, John Reid. Bryce Dallas Howard will play his mother, Sheila Farebrother.
The film’s director, Dexter Fletcher, also worked on 2018’s smash Queen biopic, “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
This article first appeared on Simplemost.com
Although Elton himself has been pretty mum on the film thus far, his husband, David Furnish, has revealed that the iconic superstar supports the movie and even had some words of advice for Egerton.“Elton has told Taron, ‘Don’t copy me. Don’t think you have to sing it exactly the way that I sang it,” Furnish told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. “Don’t think you have to perform it the way I performed it.’ I think it’s the challenge for the actor to embody the spirit and not get into thinking they have to do an impersonation.”
Egerton already has a little experiencing portraying Elton under his belt, having sung his hit, “I’m Still Standing,” for the soundtrack of the 2016 animated film “Sing.” And the pair actually worked together in 2017’s “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” in which Egerton starred and the singer played himself in a wild cameo.
