Tom Hardy confirmed to star as Elton John in ‘Rocketman’ biopic

'Billy Elliot' writer Lee Hall has penned the script and shooting is due to begin in August 2014

Tom Hardy is to star as Elton John in the forthcoming biopic of the piano-playing icon.

The Dark Knight Rises actor Hardy had been linked to the role in May of this year but has now signed up officially. Titled Rocketman, the film is billed as “a larger-than-life movie musical spectacle that tells the story of a child prodigy turned music legend”. Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall has penned the script.

Rocketman is being made by Elton John’s film company Rocket Pictures, whose biggest hit to date is 2011’s Gnomeo & Juliet, a computer-animated children’s film that grossed over $190 million (£125 million) worldwide. The singer will serve as an executive producer on the biopic and is planning to “re-record many of his iconic hits”, a press release reveals, “to parallel the emotional beats of the film”.

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Up-and-coming director Michael Gracey will start shooting the biopic in autumn 2014 and well-regarded US film distributors Focus Features have signed up to give it what is being described as ‘Bila “major US release”.

“Tom is a stellar talent who will add extraordinary depth and nuance in bringing Elton’s story to life. We are excited to have such a gifted actor on board,” Rocket Pictures CEO Steve Hamilton Shaw said in a statement.

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