Taron Egerton Playing Elton John In ‘Rocketman’, And Other Biopic News
Rocketman, a long-in-the-works biopic about superstar musicianElton John, has finally found its star:Taron Egerton, who worked with John inKingsman: The Golden Circle. Read more about this below, along with news about a few other biopics brewing in Hollywood, includingDamien Chazelle’s Neil Armstrong movie, a film aboutShia LaBeouf’s childhood, and more.
Rocketman – Elton John
First up,Deadlinereports that Taron Egerton will portray Elton John inRocketman, which will be directed byDexter Fletcher(who directed Egerton in another biopic,Eddie the Eagle). Egerton will sing John’s songs himself for the movie, and “sources said that everyone who has heard him has been gobsmacked by the quality of his voice.” That’s not surprising, considering Egerton lent his voice to the animated featureSing, and the guy loves singing at every opportunity he gets. (He sang the lead ona song for theEddie the Eaglesoundtrackwith co-star Hugh Jackman providing backup vocals.)
Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road) wasonce lined up to play Elton John in this moviewhen it was with Focus Features, but now Paramount is putting together a package to finance and distribute it with this new assortment of talent.
First Man – Neil Armstrong
The Boston Globe(viaIndieWire) has an interview withSpotlightwriter Josh Singer, who’s writing the newNeil ArmstrongbiopicFirst ManforLa La Landdirector Damien Chazelle. Singer gave a brief update about the new project, which starsRyan Goslingas Armstrong:
You can read more in the full interview.
On the Basis of Sex – Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Supreme Court JusticeRuth Bader Ginsbergis getting the biopic treatment as well, withFelicity Jones(Rogue One)stepping into her shoesin filmmaker Mimi Leder’sOn the Basis of Sex, a film that chronicles Ginsburg as she fights for equal rights through her entire law career from Harvard University, to Columbia Law School, and finally, the Supreme Court.
THRcaught up with actorStephen Root, who appears in the film, and he says that the real Ginsberg, 85, recently shot a cameo appearance in the new movie. “She had the two biggest bodyguards I have ever seen,” he said. “They were like 6-foot-8, and there she was in between them.”
Honey Boy – Shia LaBeouf
And finally,THRalso reports thatNoah Jupe, who young actor who can currently be seen playing John Krasinski and Emily Blunt’s son inA Quiet Place, will play a young Shia LaBeouf inHoney Boy, a film about LaBeouf’s childhood.Lucas Hedges(Manchester by the Sea) has already been cast to play anEven Stevens-era version of LaBeouf, and Jupe will reportedly play an even younger version of the actor. LaBeouf himself will be playing a version of his own father (naturally), and the movie is described like this:
“A child actor and his law-breaking, alcohol-abusing father attempt to mend their contentious relationship over the course of a decade.”
