''Rocketman'' is a 2019
biographical
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curric ...
jukebox musical
A jukebox musical is a stage musical or musical film in which a majority of the songs are well-known, pre-existing popular music songs, rather than original music composed for the musical.
Some jukebox musicals use a wide variety of songs, while ...
drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
film based on the life, music, and career of British musician
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
. The film focuses on the story of John in his early days in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
as a prodigy at the
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...
through his musical partnership with
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English lyricist and visual artist. He is best known for his songwriting partnership with Elton John, recognised as one of the most successful partnerships of its kind in history. Taupin co-wrote th ...
. The story is told through his music and is titled after John's 1972 song "
Rocket Man". Directed by
Dexter Fletcher
Dexter Fletcher (born 31 January 1966) is an English film director and actor. He has appeared in Guy Ritchie's '' Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'', as well as in television shows such as the comedy drama
Comedy drama (also known by th ...
and written by
Lee Hall, the film stars
Taron Egerton as John, with
Jamie Bell as Taupin,
Richard Madden as
John Reid, and
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard (born March 2, 1981) is an American actress and director. The eldest child of filmmaker Ron Howard, she studied acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. While portraying Characters in As You Like It#Rosali ...
as Sheila Eileen, John's mother. A British-American venture, the film was produced by
New Republic Pictures
New Republic Pictures, LLC is an American production company and independent financier of feature films founded by Brian Oliver (producer), Brian Oliver in 2017. The first film co-financed and produced by the company was ''Rocketman (film), Rocket ...
,
Marv Films and
Rocket Pictures, and was distributed by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
.
The film had been in development since the 2000s before it was announced in 2013 that
Focus Features
Focus Features LLC is an American independent film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast as a unit of Universal Pictures, which is itself a unit of Comcast's division NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and fore ...
acquired the rights to the film and director
Michael Gracey (who eventually served as executive producer) was attached to direct the film with actor
Tom Hardy set to star. After both Hardy and Gracey left the project following creative differences between Focus and John that halted an initial production start in autumn 2014, the project languished for several years until
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
and New Republic Pictures took over as distributor in April 2018, where Egerton and Fletcher signed on.
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
began in August 2018 and was completed later that year. John served as executive producer, while his husband
David Furnish produced the film through their
Rocket Pictures, alongside
Matthew Vaughn
Sir Matthew Allard Robert Vaughn (legal name Matthew Allard Robert de Vere Drummond; born 7 March 1971) is an English filmmaker. He has produced films including ''Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998) and ''Snatch (film), Snatch'' (2000 ...
's
Marv Films.
''Rocketman'' premiered at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
on 16 May 2019, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 22 May 2019 and in the United States on 31 May 2019. It grossed $195 million worldwide against its $40 million budget and received positive reviews from critics, with praise for Egerton's performance. The film was the first by a major studio to include a
gay male sex scene. For his performance, Egerton received numerous nominations, including the
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and
, and won the
. John and Taupin also won
Best Original Song at the
77th Golden Globe Awards,
Best Song at the
25th Critics' Choice Awards, and
Best Original Song at the
92nd Academy Awards for "
(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again", and earned four nominations at the
73rd British Academy Film Awards
The 73rd British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs, were held on 2 February 2020 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, honouring the best national and foreign films of 2019 in film, 2019. Presented by the British Academy of Fi ...
, including
Outstanding British Film.
Plot
Dressed in a flamboyant devil's outfit,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
enters an
addiction rehabilitation session, recounting his life in a
flashback ("
The Bitch Is Back").
Reginald Dwight grows up in 1950s Britain, raised by his unaffectionate mother Sheila, and his more loving grandmother Ivy. He is interested in music and hopes to perform for his father Stanley, who takes no interest in his son ("
I Want Love"). Reginald begins piano lessons, making his way into the
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...
. Stanley abandons his family after Sheila has an affair. Soon after, her lover Fred moves in with the family and he introduces young Reginald to rock music. He grows up idolizing rock musicians and begins performing in local pubs ("
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"). As an adult, Reginald joins the band
Bluesology, which is hired to play backup for touring American bands
the Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American soul group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...
and
Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles ("
Breaking Down the Walls of Heartache").
Ronald Isley
Ronald Isley ( ; born May 21, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Isley is the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.
Early life
Born in 1941 to Sallye Bernice (née Bell) and O ...
recommends he write songs and put his old life behind him to become a famous artist. Reginald changes his name to Elton John, taking his first name from
Elton Dean
Elton Dean (28 October 1945 – 8 February 2006) was an English jazz musician who performed on alto saxophone, saxello (a variant of the soprano saxophone) and occasionally keyboards. Part of the Canterbury scene, he featured in Soft Mach ...
, the saxophonist of Bluesology, and "John" from
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
.
Elton writes music and tries to find success with
Dick James
Dick James (born Reginald Leon Isaac Vapnick; 12 December 1920 – 1 February 1986) was a British music publisher and singer. He and Brian Epstein established The Beatles' publishing company, Northern Songs. Later, with his son Stephen, James ...
' record label
DJM Records under the management of
Ray Williams. Williams introduces Elton to lyricist
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English lyricist and visual artist. He is best known for his songwriting partnership with Elton John, recognised as one of the most successful partnerships of its kind in history. Taupin co-wrote th ...
; they become friends and move into a flat to compose their songs ("
Border Song"). When Elton admits he is
homosexual
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exc ...
, he ends his romantic relationship with their landlady, so they are evicted. Elton and Bernie move in with Elton's grandmother, his mother, and Fred, where they continue writing and create "
Your Song". James sets up a performance for them at the
Troubadour
A troubadour (, ; ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female equivalent is usually called a ''trobairitz''.
The tr ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. Elton is nervous before his debut, but the audience embraces his performance ("
Crocodile Rock").
Elton is overjoyed by his success but feels abandoned when Bernie leaves him at a party to spend time with a woman ("
Tiny Dancer"). He is approached by music manager
John Reid and, after hitting it off, they sleep together ("
Take Me To The Pilot"). Elton launches into a downward spiral into a life of debauchery while his career rises to new heights ("
Honky Cat"). He develops a flamboyant stage persona and becomes one of the most successful artists of the 1970s. Reid becomes Elton's manager and insists Elton tell his parents he is gay, so he reconnects with his father, who displays no interest in him. Distraught, Elton calls his mother to tell her he is gay. She already knew, but says he will be forever unloved. Devastated by his parents' rejection, as well as Reid's increasing physical and emotional abuse, Elton becomes addicted to
alcohol
Alcohol may refer to:
Common uses
* Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds
* Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life
** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages
** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...
,
cocaine
Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
,
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
,
shopping
Shopping is an activity in which a customer browses the available goods or services presented by one or more retailers with the potential intent to purchase a suitable selection of them. A Retail#Shopper profiles, typology of shopper types ha ...
, and
sex. His addictions,
mood swing
A mood swing is an extreme or sudden change of mood. Such changes can play a positive or a disruptive part in promoting problem solving and in producing flexible forward planning. When mood swings are severe, they may be categorized as part ...
s and short temper alienate his friends ("
Pinball Wizard"). Elton catches Reid cheating on him and ends their relationship, but he continues as his manager. During a party, he overdoses on pills and
attempts suicide by jumping into his pool. He is rushed to the hospital, then thrust on stage at
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a ballpark in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a ...
to perform ("
Rocket Man").
Elton descends further into a life of drugs, alcohol, and
loneliness
Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived or actual isolation. Loneliness is also described as social paina psychological mechanism that motivates individuals to seek social connections. It is often associated with a perc ...
("
Bennie and the Jets"). He has a short-lived marriage with close female friend Renate Blauel, but his homosexuality dooms their relationship ("
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song with music written by English musician Elton John and lyrics by songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally recorded by John for his eighth studio album, ''Caribou (album), Caribou'' (1974), and was ...
"). He falls out with his mother and Bernie ("
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"). Elton's dependence on prescription pills and alcohol results in a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
. Realizing his life is out of control, Elton leaves a concert without warning and checks into a rehab center ("
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
''Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'' is the seventh studio album by English singer, pianist, and composer Elton John. A double album, it was released on 5 October 1973, by DJM Records. Recorded at the Château d'Hérouville in France, the album became ...
").
Elton realizes he no longer needs approval from his parents or Reid. He also rekindles his friendship with Bernie, who brings him new lyrics. Elton is worried that he cannot perform or compose without alcohol or drugs, but writes "
I'm Still Standing" and returns to a successful career.
The epilogue notes that Elton has been sober for over 28 years. He remains good friends and song-writing partners with Bernie and is happily married to
David Furnish, with whom he has two children.
Cast
*
Taron Egerton as
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
(Reginald Dwight)
** Matthew Illesley as young Reginald Dwight
**
Kit Connor as teenage Reginald Dwight
*
Jamie Bell as
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English lyricist and visual artist. He is best known for his songwriting partnership with Elton John, recognised as one of the most successful partnerships of its kind in history. Taupin co-wrote th ...
*
Richard Madden as
John Reid
*
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard (born March 2, 1981) is an American actress and director. The eldest child of filmmaker Ron Howard, she studied acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. While portraying Characters in As You Like It#Rosali ...
as Sheila Dwight
*
Gemma Jones
Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...
as Ivy, Elton's grandmother
*
Stephen Graham as
Dick James
Dick James (born Reginald Leon Isaac Vapnick; 12 December 1920 – 1 February 1986) was a British music publisher and singer. He and Brian Epstein established The Beatles' publishing company, Northern Songs. Later, with his son Stephen, James ...
*
Steven Mackintosh as Stanley Dwight
*
Tate Donovan
Tate Buckley Donovan (born September 25, 1963) is an American actor, comedian and television director. He is known for portraying Tom Shayes in ''Damages'', Jimmy Cooper in '' The O.C.'', and the voice of the title character in the 1997 Disne ...
as
Doug Weston
*
Charlie Rowe as
Ray Williams
*
Tom Bennett as Fred, Sheila's boyfriend
*
Keith Lemon as a retail worker
* Rachel Muldoon as singer
Kiki Dee
*
Ophelia Lovibond
Ophelia Lucy Lovibond (born 19 February 1986) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Carina in the films '' Thor: The Dark World'' and '' Guardians of the Galaxy,'' Izzy Gould in the BBC's '' W1A'', Patty Failure in Disney's '' Tim ...
as Arabella (Elton's girlfriend)
*
Celinde Schoenmaker as Renate Blauel (Elton's wife)
*
Max Croes as Parkland Patient
Production
Development
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
and husband
David Furnish tried to produce a film based on his life for almost two decades. The earliest efforts dated back to the 2000s, when development started at
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...
. Photographer
David LaChapelle was set to direct the film after his work on the video for John's 2001 single, "
This Train Don't Stop There Anymore", which featured
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...
as a young John.
However, the project languished for nearly two decades.
In an article written for ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', John said that he struggled to get the film off the ground due to studios wanting it to be toned down to a
PG-13 rating instead of an R.
In January 2012, John announced that he had named
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...
as his top choice to play him in the film.
Lee Hall was set to pen the screenplay. In March 2013,
Michael Gracey was hired to direct, with
Tom Hardy cast in October to play John and
FilmDistrict (and later
Focus Features
Focus Features LLC is an American independent film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast as a unit of Universal Pictures, which is itself a unit of Comcast's division NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and fore ...
) acquiring the U.S. distribution rights. Filming was initially planned to start in autumn 2014. However, creative differences between John and Focus, along with budget issues, led him and Furnish to take the project elsewhere.
In July 2017, it was announced that Hardy was no longer involved, and
Taron Egerton entered negotiations to replace him.
While editing ''
Kingsman: The Golden Circle'',
Matthew Vaughn
Sir Matthew Allard Robert Vaughn (legal name Matthew Allard Robert de Vere Drummond; born 7 March 1971) is an English filmmaker. He has produced films including ''Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998) and ''Snatch (film), Snatch'' (2000 ...
learned about the project and took interest in producing the film on the condition that Egerton played John.
Vaughn then picked
Dexter Fletcher
Dexter Fletcher (born 31 January 1966) is an English film director and actor. He has appeared in Guy Ritchie's '' Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'', as well as in television shows such as the comedy drama
Comedy drama (also known by th ...
, who had replaced
Bryan Singer
Bryan Jay Singer (born September 17, 1965) is an American filmmaker. He is the founder of Bad Hat Harry Productions and has produced almost all of the films he has directed, as well as multiple television series.
After graduating from the Univ ...
during the production of the
Queen
Queen most commonly refers to:
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen (band), a British rock band
Queen or QUEEN may also refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Q ...
biopic ''
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock music, rock band Queen (band), Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, ''A Night at the Opera (Queen album), A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by Queen's lead si ...
'', to direct the film since Gracey was busy with ''
The Greatest Showman'' and was later credited as one of the executive producers on the film.
The producers then filmed a sequence of Egerton as John performing two of John's songs, and presented it to
Jim Gianopulos, who had worked with Vaughn on the
''Kingsman'' franchise at
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
and was now the CEO of
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
.
Paramount and New Republic Pictures agreed to finance the film in exchange for worldwide distribution rights.
It was reported that Egerton would sing the songs in the film himself, produced by
Giles Martin, who was brought on as music producer for the project. In an interview at
CinemaCon, Egerton stated the film would be a lot more of a visually stylised
epic
Epic commonly refers to:
* Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation
* Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale
Epic(s) ...
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
-
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
rather than just a traditional straightforward biopic.
Casting
In April 2018, Taron Egerton was officially cast to play the musician in the film. Egerton had previously appeared with John in the 2017 film ''Kingsman: The Golden Circle'', and Egerton, as Johnny the Gorilla, sang John's song "
I'm Still Standing" in the 2016 animated film ''
Sing
Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...
''. In June, the role of
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English lyricist and visual artist. He is best known for his songwriting partnership with Elton John, recognised as one of the most successful partnerships of its kind in history. Taupin co-wrote th ...
was given to
Jamie Bell.
In July,
Richard Madden entered negotiations to play
John Reid, and
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard (born March 2, 1981) is an American actress and director. The eldest child of filmmaker Ron Howard, she studied acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. While portraying Characters in As You Like It#Rosali ...
was cast to play John's mother.
Gemma Jones
Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...
was announced as being cast in the film in October.
Filming
Production began on 2 August 2018. In October 2018, it was announced the film was shooting in London. Filming commenced at
Bray Film Studios near
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a market town in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the county of Berkshire, England. It lies on the southwestern bank of the River Thames, which at this point forms the border with Buckinghamshire. In the 2021 Census, ...
,
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...
. Additional filming occurred at
Pinewood Studios and
Shepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios is a film studio located in Shepperton, Surrey, England, with a history dating back to 1931. It is now part of Pinewood Group, the Pinewood Studios Group. During its early existence, the studio was branded as Sound City (not ...
.
Music
The soundtrack for the film was released by Virgin EMI (UK) and Interscope Records (US) on CD and digital formats on 24 May 2019 and was also released by Interscope Records on vinyl on August 23, 2019. The album contains 22 tracks of several hits performed by the cast of the film and a newly written award-winning track "
(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" featuring vocals by
Taron Egerton and
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
together.
A commercial success in terms of sales, the soundtrack reached the Top 40 chart level in multiple countries such as
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
, and the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, including the production's own
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
Release
''Rocketman'' had its world premiere at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
on 16 May 2019, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 22 May 2019. The film was initially scheduled to be released in the United States on 17 May 2019, but was pushed back to 31 May 2019.
''Rocketman'' was released on Digital HD on 6 August 2019 and on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD on 27 August 2019.
Censorship
In March 2019, it was reported that
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
was pressuring director
Dexter Fletcher
Dexter Fletcher (born 31 January 1966) is an English film director and actor. He has appeared in Guy Ritchie's '' Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'', as well as in television shows such as the comedy drama
Comedy drama (also known by th ...
and producer
Matthew Vaughn
Sir Matthew Allard Robert Vaughn (legal name Matthew Allard Robert de Vere Drummond; born 7 March 1971) is an English filmmaker. He has produced films including ''Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998) and ''Snatch (film), Snatch'' (2000 ...
to cut a sex scene between
Taron Egerton and
Richard Madden, so that the film could receive a
PG-13 rating in the United States, as influenced by the financial success of ''
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock music, rock band Queen (band), Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, ''A Night at the Opera (Queen album), A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by Queen's lead si ...
'' the year prior. Fletcher denied the reports, saying that the movie "has and always will be the no holds barred, musical fantasy that Paramount and producers passionately support and believe in" and said the allegations were "nothing but rumours".
In
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, where the film was released on 6 June 2019, about five minutes of footage were removed from the final cut.
Central Partnership
Central Partnership () is a Russian film distribution and production company founded in 1995. The distributor was acquired by Russian gas company Gazprom in 2014.
History
Central Partnership started as a TV content distributor in 1995–2000. ...
, the film's Russian distributor, removed
all scenes involving homosexuality and drugs, a move that was criticised by both John and Paramount. The film was censored in
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
, sparking condemnation from art critics that the country was becoming a "
nanny state". Safaruddin Mohammad Ali, the head of the country's Film Censorship Board, said "We do not allow any scenes that promote LGBTQ in films that are for public viewing", adding that "Although it is about the real life of Elton John, it is not for him to allow the public to see whatever he does or whatever activities he indulges in that is not our culture".
The film was banned in
Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...
, a conservative Christian nation. Principal Censor Leiataua Niuapu, of the country's
Censorship Board, explained: "It's a good story, in that it's about an individual trying to move on in life. He
ohnwent through a difficult family life and managed to move on and become very successful. But there are acts that are not good for public viewing and against the law." The film was also banned in
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, where John himself was banned from visiting back in 2010. The reason given was his "anti-religious sentiments", though ''Film Stories'' journalist Simon Brew argued that the ban "seemed pretty clear it was more to do with
ohn'ssexuality".
In October 2019, ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' digital director Shana Krochmal accused
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
of removing "almost every reference" to John's sexuality in the version of the film shown on the airline, including scenes of kissing and gay sex. In response, a Delta spokesperson said that "Delta's content parameters do not in any way ask for the removal of homosexual content from the film" and that "We value diversity and inclusion as core to our culture and our mission and will review our processes to ensure edited video content doesn't conflict with these values".
Reception
Box office
''Rocketman'' grossed $96.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $98.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $195.2 million, against a production budget of $40 million.
In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside ''
Godzilla: King of the Monsters'' and ''
Ma'', and was projected to gross $20–25 million from 3,610 theaters in its opening weekend.
The film made $9.2 million on its first day, including $1.8 million from Thursday night previews and including and $580,000 from its 18 May paid-advanced Fandango screenings, for a preview total of $2.3 million. It went on to debut to $25.7 million, finishing third, behind ''Godzilla: King of the Monsters'' and ''
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
''.
The film dropped 46% in its second weekend to $14 million, finishing in fifth, and then made $9.4 million in its third weekend, climbing to the fourth position.
In the United Kingdom, it debuted to $6.4 million, finishing second behind fellow new release ''Aladdin''. The following week, the film was projected to gross around $20 million from the international markets it was released in alongside the U.S.,
and ended up making $19.2 million from 39 non-U.S. countries over the weekend.
Critical response
''Rocketman'' received a largely positive response from critics, with some calling it one of the best
films released in 2019, as well as being considered the best reviewed
musical movie of the year and one of the best reviewed
British releases of the year, praising Egerton's acting and vocal performance, the costume design, soundtrack, and the musical sequences. On the
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the film holds an approval rating of based on 401 reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critics consensus reads: "It's going to be a long, long time before a rock biopic manages to capture the highs and lows of an artist's life like ''Rocketman''." On
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, it has a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 49 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by
CinemaScore
CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data.
Background
Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, while those at
PostTrak gave it an average 4 out of 5 stars and a 69% "definite recommend".
At its
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
premiere, the film received a standing ovation. It also received a standing ovation from Oscar voters at the academy screening. Steve Pond of ''
TheWrap
''TheWrap'' is an American online news organization that covers the business of entertainment and media. It was founded by journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009 and is based in Los Angeles. The site features original reporting, analysis, and editor ...
'' said, "It's all grand and fun and corny; a musical fantasy that reaches for the sky and gets there often enough to make it diverting." ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''s
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Nicholas Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire'' magazine.
Early life and education
Bradshaw was educat ...
gave the film three stars out of five, saying Egerton performed a "good impression of the flamboyant musician," and writing, "''Rocketman'' is an honest, heartfelt tribute to Elton John's music and his public image." In the same newspaper,
Mark Kermode
Mark Kermode (, ; ; born 2 July 1963) is an English film critic, musician, radio presenter, television presenter, author and podcaster. He is the co-presenter (with Ellen E. Jones) of the BBC Radio 4 programme ''Screenshot'', and co-presenter ...
gave the film five stars, writing that "Fletcher is the real star of this show, a director whose enthusiasm for musical storytelling shines through every frame." ''
Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'' critic
Richard Roeper
Richard E. Roeper (born October 17, 1959) is an American writer. He is a former columnist and film critic for the '' Chicago Sun-Times'', where he wrote for 39 years dating back to 1986 until his departure in 2025. He co-hosted the television s ...
also greatly enjoyed the film, giving it three-and-a-half stars out of four and praising its "almost documentary-level eye for detail when it comes to re-creating historic chapters such as the sold-out shows at Dodger Stadium in 1975 when Elton wore a sequined Dodgers uniform and belted out one hit after another to the adoring masses."
Christy Lemire
Christy A. Lemire (née Nemetz; born August 30, 1972) is an American film critic and host of the movie review podcast ''Breakfast All Day''. She previously wrote for the Associated Press from 1999 to 2013, was a co-host of '' Ebert Presents at ...
of ''
RogerEbert.com'' had mixed feelings about ''Rocketman'', awarding it two-and-a-half stars out of four and stating that the film is a "formulaic, paint-by-numbers biopic."
Accolades
Historical accuracy
As ''Rocketman'' was not meant to be a chronologically precise
documentary film
A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...
, a creative license was taken with the timing or specifics of the real people or historical events depicted in the film.
Events
The timeline of John and Taupin's friendship and career is altered to an extent, as the first song they wrote together after they met in 1967 was "Scarecrow", while "Border Song" was not written until 1969. John and Taupin also spent two years working as staff songwriters for James, beginning in 1968, and created tracks for artists such as
Roger Cook and
Lulu
Lulu may refer to:
Companies
* LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer
* Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer
* Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia
* Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...
, with the first album of the pair's music being 1969's ''
Empty Sky''.
Regarding the claim that John and Taupin never had an argument, the liner notes for the 1975 album ''
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy'' features a 12 January 1969 diary entry written by John that reads, "Had row with Bernie."
In a 2011 interview, John said he could not remember what they had a row about.
Dick James
Dick James (born Reginald Leon Isaac Vapnick; 12 December 1920 – 1 February 1986) was a British music publisher and singer. He and Brian Epstein established The Beatles' publishing company, Northern Songs. Later, with his son Stephen, James ...
was the one who encouraged then-Reggie Dwight to choose a stage name, and on 7 May 1972, he legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John; however, John is shown auditioning for James by playing "
Daniel" and "
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" is a song by English musician Elton John, with music by John and Davey Johnstone and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, released as the first single from John's 17th studio album ''Too Low for Zero''. It was th ...
", but the songs were not written until 1972 and 1983, respectively.
While John did take his first name after
Bluesology bandmate
Elton Dean
Elton Dean (28 October 1945 – 8 February 2006) was an English jazz musician who performed on alto saxophone, saxello (a variant of the soprano saxophone) and occasionally keyboards. Part of the Canterbury scene, he featured in Soft Mach ...
, his surname was actually adopted from his early mentor and friend,
Long John Baldry, who had hired Bluesology as his backup band in 1966, and not
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
. John admired Baldry as one of the few people in the music scene who were both openly gay and highly esteemed.
John is shown to have dated a landlady named Arabella, but he actually dated a secretary named Linda Hannon (née Woodrow) for two years, and was engaged to her in 1969. John ended up sinking into a suicidal depression due to stress faced with the prospect of living a domestic life in the suburbs, and attempted suicide before being found by Bernie Taupin. Less than a month before the wedding, John suddenly broke off their engagement on the advice of Baldry. The experience inspired Taupin to write the lyrics for the song "
Someone Saved My Life Tonight".
Hannon revealed her disappointment for not being mentioned in the film.
John's 1970 performance at the
Troubadour
A troubadour (, ; ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female equivalent is usually called a ''trobairitz''.
The tr ...
was actually well over a year after
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...
's last show at the venue (Young has not done another concert there since), and John's show, on 25 August 1970, was actually on a Tuesday (as opposed to the Monday in the film). John is shown playing "Crocodile Rock" at the Troubadour, but the song was not written until two years later; and is also seen meeting his backing band on the night of the show, but he had been touring with bassist
Dee Murray and drummer
Nigel Olsson all over England since April 1970, four months before they went to Los Angeles. The guitarist at the Troubadour concert is fictional: John did not have a guitarist until
Davey Johnstone in 1972.
John is seen meeting John Reid at
Mama Cass's house in Los Angeles, but they actually met at a
Motown Records
Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
Christmas party in London in December 1970.
John's concert at the
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a ballpark in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a ...
was in 1975, one year before the recording of "
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee, released by The Rocket Record Company on 25 June 1976. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte B ...
".
John did meet Renate Blauel while she was working as a sound engineer on one of his albums, but it was actually on 1983's ''
Too Low for Zero'', not 1979's ''
Victim of Love''. He proposed to her on 10 February 1984 in Australia, and they married in Sydney on Valentine's Day of the same year. They officially announced their divorce on 18 November 1988.
John did cancel a concert at the
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
in New York, although this was in 1984 due to illness. John actually checked into rehab in 1990 at the
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (ALGH) is a 645-bed non-profit teaching hospital located in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois. Founded in 1897, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital is the sixth largest hospital in the Chicago area, and ...
in Chicago a few months after a young friend,
Ryan White
Ryan Wayne White (December 6, 1971 – April 8, 1990) was an American teenager from Kokomo, Indiana, who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS in the United States after his school barred him from attending classes following a diagn ...
, had died from
AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
, and after a visit to his boyfriend at the time, Hugh Williams, in a rehab facility in Prescott, Arizona.
"I'm Still Standing" was not written while John was in rehab; the song was recorded in 1982, and the song and the video were released a year later.
People
John's half-brother Geoff Dwight disputed the characterization of their father, Stanley Dwight, stating, "My dad was kind and gentle. He spoke his mind but encouraged us all, including Elton, to do what we were good at. As a boy, when he started supporting
Watford
Watford () is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne.
Initially a smal ...
, it was my father who took him to the matches." In a previous 2010 interview, Geoff recalled, "When I was growing up, Elton was always there and we had a lot of fun on family holidays and things like that".
John's stepmother, Edna, told biographer
Philip Norman for 2001's ''Sir Elton: The Definitive Biography'' that "Stanley's been made out as an overbearing monster. But it's just not true. He was a lovely man, a good father, and a loving husband." She added that, far from discouraging his son's musical talent, Dwight bought him a piano in 1963, showing Norman the receipt.
He also wrote a letter to congratulate Elton on winning a scholarship to the
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...
.
On the other hand, the portrayal of John's mother, Sheila, was seen as being far more accurate. She did not allow him to get an
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
styled haircut, though John idolized the American's look.
The depiction of Dick James was disputed by musician
Caleb Quaye, who was a member of John's former band Bluesology. Quaye described James as "a gentleman," and criticised him being shown in the film as a boorish, foul-mouthed
cockney
Cockney is a dialect of the English language, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by Londoners with working-class and lower middle class roots. The term ''Cockney'' is also used as a demonym for a person from the East End, ...
. "He wasn't cockney. He was an old-school music man but was smartly dressed, you never heard a cuss word out of him. He was like a father, he gave us an opportunity to learn our craft. I don't understand the fantasy of depicting him like that because he was nothing like it." James' son, Stephen James (who helped discover Elton and encouraged Dick to sign him up to his music label
DJM Records), also criticised the film's portrayal of his father, calling John "basically a coward" and claiming that he wanted to destroy "everybody who was helpful or good" during the early days of his career, adding, "I don't understand why he seems to feel the need to try to destroy everybody who helped him. We only ever tried to do the best for him and to promote his career. I really am very upset that he has turned on people in this way. They basically depict my father in the film completely opposite to the way he was in real life." Beatles historian
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn (born 16 June 1958) is an English historian and biographer. Since the 1980s, he has written many reference books about the Beatles and has worked for EMI, MPL Communications and Apple Corps. also criticised the depiction of James in the film, calling it "utterly outrageous and really disgusting."
[. At 41:09.]
Notes
See also
*
Dexter Fletcher filmography
*
List of biographical films of the 2010s
*
List of LGBT-related films of 2019
*
Winners of the Academy Award for Best Original Song
References
External links
*
{{authority control
2019 films
2019 biographical drama films
2019 drama films
2019 LGBTQ-related films
2019 musical films
2010s American films
2010s British films
2010s English-language films
2010s LGBTQ-related drama films
2010s musical drama films
American biographical drama films
American LGBTQ-related films
American musical drama films
American rock musicals
Biographical films about LGBTQ people
Biographical films about pianists
Biographical films about singers
British biographical drama films
British musical drama films
British LGBTQ-related films
Censored films
Cultural depictions of Elton John
English-language biographical drama films
English-language musical drama films
Films about alcoholism
Films about drugs
Films about pianos and pianists
Films directed by Dexter Fletcher
Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance
Films produced by Matthew Vaughn
Films scored by Matthew Margeson
Films set in the 1950s
Films set in the 1960s
Films set in the 1970s
Films set in the 1980s
Films set in Cannes
Films set in London
Films set in Los Angeles
Films set in New York City
Films set in Nice
Films shot at Bray Studios
Films shot at Pinewood Studios
Films shot at Shepperton Studios
Films that won the Best Original Song Academy Award
Films with screenplays by Lee Hall (playwright)
Gay-related films
Jukebox musical films
LGBTQ-related controversies in film
LGBTQ-related films based on actual events
LGBTQ-related musical films
Paramount Pictures films
Satellite Award–winning films