Deadline are reporting that Rocket Pictures partners Elton John and David Furnish are launching a biopic project that will portray the story of Elton’s illustrious musical career on screen.
The pair are teaming up with Billy Elliot playwright, Lee Hall (who previously worked together on adapting Billy Elliot for stage in 2005, where John wrote the score for the production) on Rocketman; “a biographical musical fantasy that will weave together John’s life and his music.” It is thought that Rocket Pictures’ Steve Hamilton Shaw and Furnish will produce (who previously worked together on 2006 romantic comedy, It’s A Boy/Girl Thing). Sir Elton John will be executive producer on the project and will be playing an active role in the creation of the film that is thought to chart his life story from a child piano prodigy (who by age 11 won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music) to a young man who rebelled against his strict upbringing, wore outrageous costumes and became a global icon who teamed with songwriter Bernie Taupin to sell more records that just about any musical artist of his era.
One device [that the film will use] will be to feature choreographed sequences using John’s biggest hit songs. Those tunes will be part of the movie package and will drive a story that will cover the rough spots in John’s journey of self-discovery.
“Rocketman will be a radically different kind of biopic,” Shaw said. “It will be as unique as Elton’s life, told in a non-linear and hyper-visual manner that will transport people through the many intense experiences, some wonderful, some not, that helped define Elton as an artist, musician and man.”
UTA is packaging the film, looking to set it up and sign a director as John and his cohorts try to figure out who should play him. There might well be different actors playing him at different ages.
So who do you think could play the musical superstar that is Elton John on the big screen? I certainly look forward to seeing the devices that the film uses to make this unique, not just the usual biopic.
