With Bohemian Rhapsody nominated for many of the top prizes at this weekend’s Academy Awards, it seems like the music biopic’s poised to make a mainstream comeback, gearing up Rocketman to be one of the more anticipated movies of 2019.
However, while Bohemian was criticized for taking liberties with the history of Queen, the marketing for the Elton John biopic is leaning into its differences from reality. Described as a “fantasy musical” by star Taron Egerton, Rocketman is putting its own spin on Elton John’s unique story, starting with the songs.
Those who mainly know Egerton as the charming protagonist of the Kingsman franchise may be shocked to find out that he’ll actually sing all of the film’s hits. The featurette above is quick to emphasize that Egerton not only has the chops to belt out “Tiny Dancer,” but according to music producer Giles Martin, has a ringing endorsement from the Rocketman himself.
“Elton said, ‘I don’t think I’ve heard anyone sing my songs better than Taron,’ and the great thing about Elton is that he wants Taron’s interpretations of his songs.”
Allowing Egerton to put his own spin on “Your Song” and “Bennie and the Jets” may be distracting to those familiar with the classic tunes, but it does show how much faith the filmmakers have in Egerton’s abilities. The fact that the actor and Elton John shared plenty of time together while shooting Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a bonus that can only help matters, too.
In a genre known for sticking to a fixed formula that rarely rises above daytime TV melodrama, Rocketman is starting to look more and more like a breath of fresh air and we look forward to seeing it open in theaters later this year on May 31st.
Published: Feb 19, 2019 09:57 pm