Taron Egerton makes an epic transformation into Elton John for 'Rocketman'

UPDATE: The first Rocketman trailer will arrive online Monday. Kingsman star Taron Egerton confirmed the launch date for the first teaser via his Twitter account, telling his fans “Can’t wait for you all to see the trailer Monday”.

Egerton plays Elton John in the new biopic, directed by Dexter Fletcher.

ORIGINAL STORY: Rocketman is being described as ‘an epic musical fantasy’, and this is indeed an epic transformation for its star Taron Egerton.

The Kingsman star looks every bit of Sir Elton John, complete with platform boots, shimmering gold lamé, and sunglasses big enough to receive transmissions from the International Space Station.

Currently in production, the film is less a strict biopic of the iconic singer, and more ‘a fantastical’ account of Elton’s life.

Dexter Fletcher is behind the camera, having recently picked up the pieces of a movie about another icon of the British music business, Queen (he took over the reins on Bohemian Rhapsody after director Bryan Singer was dismissed over the summer).

Egerton is joined on screen by Bodyguard and Game of Thrones star Richard Madden, as John Reid, Elton’s manager and also, coincidentally, latterly the manager of Queen.

Also on the bill is Jamie Bell as Elton’s lyricist Bernie Taupin, and Bryce Dallas Howard, playing Elton’s mum Shiela Eileen.

From a script by Lee Hall, writer of Billy Elliot and War Horse, Tom Hardy was initially set to play Elton, before exiting the production in 2017.

It won’t be the first time that Egerton has been linked to Elton, either.

In the animated movie Sing, Egerton voiced Johnny, the teenage gorilla who belts out Elton’s I’m Still Standing.

Rocketman is due out on May 31, 2019.

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