Rocketman, the “musical fantasy” biopic focusing on the life and career of Elton John, found itself in hot water the other month thanks to its nudity and homosexual content.
It was reported that there was a 40 second scene where Taron Egerton, who’s playing the “Tiny Dancer” singer in the film, and Richard Madden shared what’s been referred to as a “nude cuddle.” At the time, it was said that Paramount was trying to have the scene cut, but the filmmakers have since come out and said that the studio is perfectly alright with it. And now, Madden himself has also commented on all the commotion.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the actor addressed the rumors head on, saying that the scene remains in Rocketman as it would’ve been a “disservice” to remove it.
“It’s an intimate thing between these two characters and a significant moment in Elton’s life,” he says. “And Elton’s life was very R-rated, wasn’t it?”
Indeed, Madden has a point, and we’re glad that the film won’t be shying away from any of the aspects of John’s life. We’ll have to see just how much it shows us though when Rocketman blasts into theaters on May 31st – day and date with a little-known creature feature called Godzilla: King of the Monsters. That’ll certainly give the pic some tough competition, but if it’s able to match the box office fortune of Bohemian Rhapsody, then Paramount will no doubt be grinning all the way to the bank.
Right now, the forecast certainly looks good, with early review praising Egerton’s work in the lead role and Rocketman‘s honest and entertaining portrayal of Elton John’s life, but we’ll know for sure if it’s a worthy music biopic or just another forgettable effort from the genre – like so many before it – next week.
