How Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody mark new era of rock biopics as viewers seek out real-life superheroes

Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher and star Taron Egerton talk about the recently released film about Elton John’s rise to multimillionaire rock star

Together with Bohemian Rhapsody, the film has sparked a number of upcoming features focusing on stars including Elvis Presley and David Bowie

Reading Time:4 minutes

Taron Egerton as Elton John in a still from Rocketman, another ’70s rock biopic after last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

Published: 8:00pm, 18 Jun 2019Updated: 2:46pm, 20 Jun 2019

If ever screenwriter William Goldman’s adage that in Hollywood “nobody knows anything” proved accurate, it was last year.

The gargantuan success of Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was nothing short of remarkable. It took US$904 million at the global box office, making it the sixth most lucrative film of 2018. It wasn’t a sequel, it wasn’t animated, it wasn’t about superheroes; it was just about four British rock stars from the 1970s.

Then there were the Academy Awards; nominated in five categories, Bohemian Rhapsody took home four Oscars: for sound mixing, sound editing, film editing and, significantly, best actor for Rami Malek, who starred as flamboyant frontman Freddie Mercury. All this for a film that wasn’t given a hope after original director Bryan Singer was fired from the project midway through production.

British filmmaker Dexter Fletcher was drafted in to get the film over the finish line. It therefore seems almost apt that he is back just seven months later with Rocketman , another ’70s rock biopic – this time about singer-pianist Elton John.

Featuring Kingsman ’s Taron Egerton as John, the film focuses on his rise from “fat boy in Pinner” to multimillionaire rock star by the age of 25 after teaming up with lyricist Bernie Taupin.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x