There’s a very good chance that Bohemian Rhapsody could walk away with armfuls of Oscars this coming weekend – and with the Freddie Mercury / Queen biopic attracting huge audiences at the box office, the stage is set for Rocketman to achieve similar success. The Elton John story is the focus this time, with Dexter Fletcher – who wrapped up the Rhapsody shoot when Bryan Singer was ousted from the project – in the director’s chair, here giving an all-singing all-dancing musical spin to the biopic rulebook.
Like the Bohemian Rhapsody trailers, this front-loads Elton’s iconic music – ‘Bennie and the Jets’, ‘Your Song’, and ‘Tiny Dancer’ feature prominently – but it’s the visual flourishes that impress the most. There are glimpses of song-and-dance numbers taking place on giant spinning records, Elton floating down to see his younger self at the bottom of a pool, the singer as a young boy conducting an orchestra in his bedroom – artistic touches that promise a change from the usual formula. It also looks like the film is leaning into the glam and flamboyance (glamboyance?), and not shying away from John’s same-sex relationships – something Bohemian Rhapsody was criticised for.
Starring alongside Taron Egerton in the lead role are Jamie Bell as Elton’s songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, Richard Madden as his manager and lover John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as his mum Sheila Eileen. Rocketman will blast into UK cinemas on 24 May.
Keep up to date with all the latest movie news, click here to subscribe to Empire on Great Magazines and have the latest issue delivered to your door every month.