Picture of the movie Rocketman © DR
Dexter Fletcher pays tribute to Elton John’s career in Rocketman
After putting the finishing touches to the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (replacing Bryan Singer) and to the cinematic biography of ski-jumper Michael Edwards in Eddie The Eagle, British director and actor Dexter Fletcher turned his insightful gaze to the life of British musician Elton John in Rocketman.
The film's title is a reference to Elton John's global chart-topper Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time), which made its way into Rolling Stone magazine's definitive list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. In this colourful, lively biopic, Dexter Fletcher (Tom in The Raggedy Rawney by Bob Hoskins, selected for Un Certain Regard in 1988) steps behind the camera to recount the incredible tale of shy pianist Reginald Dwight – now known by his stage name only – from his childhood days to his unstoppable rise to global pop sensation, with Elton John himself playing an active role in seeing the film to fruition.
The director yet again called on Taron Egerton, who had already starred in Eddie The Eagle, to put his own spin on the world-famous singer's biggest hits, supported by Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Fantastic Four and Defiance) as his songwriter. Sheila Farebrother, Elton John's mother, was played by Bryce Dallas Howard (the lead in Manderlay by Lars Von Trier, in Competition at Cannes in 2005). In the perfect finishing touch to this star-studded line-up, Dexter Fletcher cast Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) as John Reid, Elton John's producer. A spectacular (and musical!) ode to the multi-million-record-selling singer.
