
Williams introduces Elton to lyricist Bernie Taupin they become friends and move into a flat to compose their songs (" Border Song"). Reginald changes his name to Elton John, taking his first name from Elton Dean the saxophonist of Bluesology and "John" being adopted from John Lennon.Įlton writes music and tries to find success with Dick James' record label DJM Records under the management of Ray Williams. Ronald Isley recommends Reginald write songs and put his old life behind him to become a famous artist. As an adult, Reginald joins the band Bluesology, which is hired to play backup for touring American bands The Isley Brothers and Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles (" Breaking Down the Walls of Heartache"). Reginald grows up idolizing rock musicians and begins performing in local pubs (" Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"). Soon after, Sheila's lover, Fred, moves in with the family and he introduces young Reginald to rock music. Stanley abandons his family after Sheila has an affair. Reginald begins piano lessons, making his way into the Royal Academy of Music. Reginald is interested in music and hopes to perform for his father, Stanley, who takes no interest in his son (" I Want Love"). Reginald Dwight grows up in 1950s Britain, raised by his unaffectionate mother, Sheila, and his more loving grandmother Ivy. 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, including Outstanding British Film.ĭressed in a flamboyant devil's outfit, Elton John enters an addiction rehabilitation session, recounting his life in a flashback (" The Bitch Is Back"). For his performance, Egerton received numerous nominations, including the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The film was the first by a major studio to include a gay male sex scene. It grossed $195 million worldwide against its $40 million budget and received positive reviews from critics, with praise for Egerton's performance. Rocketman premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on and in the United States on. John served as executive producer, while his husband David Furnish produced the film through their Rocket Pictures, alongside Matthew Vaughn's Marv Films. Principal photography began in August 2018 and was completed later that year. After both Hardy and Gracey left the project following creative differences between Focus and John that halted an initial production start in fall 2014, the project languished for several years until Paramount Pictures and New Republic Pictures took over as distributor in April 2018, where Egerton and Fletcher signed on. The film had been in development since the 2000s before it was announced in 2013 that Focus Features 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. The film stars Taron Egerton as John, with Jamie Bell as Taupin, Richard Madden as John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila Eileen, John's mother. Directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall, the film tells the story of John in his early days in England as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his musical partnership with Bernie Taupin told through his music, and is titled after John's 1972 song " Rocket Man". Rocketman is a 2019 biographical jukebox musical film based on the life and career of British musician Elton John.
