It’s safe to say that Dexter Fletcher quite liked his brief taste of the music biopic genre when he filled in for Bryan Singer on the last few weeks of “Bohemian Rhapsody” late last year.
Because after bringing the production of the film, which revolves around the career of Queen and Freddie Mercury, to a close, the director has now decided to give the same treatment to Elton John with “Rocketman.”
Taron Egerton (“Kingsman: The Secret Service,” “Robin Hood”) is the man that has been tasked with portraying the legendary singer, whose songs include Crocodile Rock, Candle In The Wood and Tiny Dancer, and who has sold over 300 million records worldwide.
I recently had the chance to talk to Fletcher about his performance in “Terminal,” during which time I also asked him for an update on “Rocketman,” specifically what he is trying to do with the film.
This provoked a laugh from the Englishman, who then added, “It’s not what I am trying to do, it’s what I am going to do. I think Taron summed it up well. It’s a musical fantasy, not a biopic.”
“We have Elton’s songs and Elton’s life story, or a part of it. And it is a fantasy version of real life. It is a true fantasy. So I am looking to create something that will entertain and inform and amaze and do many, many things. It is just literally at the beginning now.”
Fletcher was also keen to insist that the film has the full involvement of Elton John. “Naturally. It is him. His family. His company. It’s not something we would do without Elton involved.”
But the actor/director stopped short of providing any further details on “Rocketman,” because when I asked whether the film will cover all of Elton’s life he responded with, “You’ll have to wait!”
We’re still not exactly sure when we will get to see Taron Egerton as Elton John, as there isn’t a confirmed release date for “Rocketman,” although “Bohemian Rhapsody” on November 2.
In the meantime, make sure to check out Fletcher in front of the camera in “Terminal,” which has now been released in theaters and is available On Demand / Digital HD.
