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Michael Douglas Set As Guest Of Honor Of 50th Deauville Film Festival

Michael Douglas will be guest of honor at the 50th Deauville American Film Festival. It will be the actor’s fifth trip to the fall festival unfolding in the swanky northern French beach resort. The organisers suggested Douglas has a special connection with the festival as the place where he met now wife Catherine Zeta Jones. “Everyone says that the Deauville Festival is special, but few people say like me that it changed their lives,” the announcement release quoted him as saying. The actor was last at the festival in 2013 with My Life with Liberace. His late father Kirk Douglas was also an honorary guest at Deauville and was feted with a posthumous retrospective in 2020. Douglas is a regular visitor to France and has previously been honored by Cannes and the César awards. The Deauville Film Festival runs...

Penned by Danish screenwriter Kim Fupz Aakeson (“Dancers”), HBO Europe’s new show “Welcome to Utmark” is one buzzy contender for this year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize, whose announcement on Feb. 3 marks one highlight at the Göteborg Festival TV Drama Vision.

The eight-part series, produced by Norway’s Paradox, represents a clear bell-weather to HBO Europe’s ambitions for Scandinavia, mixing some of the finest talent in the region, led by Icelandic director Dagur Kári (“Virgin Mountain”) and lensed by Norwegian Dp Andreas Johannessen.

The result is a modern Western, set on the northern margins of Norway, on Sami territory where breathtaking landscape often steals the show. Dramatic opening shots of a sweeping barren landscape set the scene for the viewer. This is a tale set on the edges of civilization – as it is conceived by most Norwegians, and Utmark is a frontier town. Its inhabitants are often caricatured,...

Venice Days pic “Beware of Children” and Sundance alumnus “Charter” are among the five Nordic films nominated for the coveted Nordic Council Film Prize.

“Beware of Children” was directed by Norwegian scribe/helmer Dag Johan Haugerud and produced by Yngve Sæther. The drama is set in the aftermath of a tragic event in a suburb of Oslo, where the teenage daughter of a prominent Labour Party member seriously injured her classmate, the son of a high profile right-wing politician, during a school break.

“Charter,” meanwhile, world premiered at this year’s Sundance festival and marks Swedish director/screenwriter Amanda Kernell’s second feature following “Sami Blood.” “Charter” is a character study of a flawed mother who impulsively embarks on a perilous attempt to reconnect with her children after leaving them with their father to start a new life in Stockholm. “Charter” was produced by Lars G. Lindström and Eva Åkergren.

Haugesund, Norway — Iceland’s “A White, White Day,” Denmark’s “Queen of Hearts” and Norway’s “Blind Spot” are among the five films that will compete for this year’s Nordic Council Film Prize, a prestigious film award aimed at promoting Nordic co-operation and environmental initiatives.

Sweden’s “Reconstructing Utøya” and Finland’s “Aurora” help round out the list, which was announced on Tuesday evening, during the opening of the New Nordic Films market at the Haugesund Film Festival.

Given on a permanent basis since 2005, the award includes a cash prize of Dkk 350,000 and will be attributed on October 29 as part of the Nordic Council Autumn Session in Stockholm. Previous winners include Joachim Trier’s “Louder than Bombs,” Benedikt Erlingsson’s “Of Horses and Men,” Thomas Vinterberg’s “The Hunt,” Dagur Kari’s “Virgin Mountain,” Pernilla August’s “Beyond” and Lars von Trier’s “Antichrist,” among others.

In order to qualify,...

As it continues pulling into the Nordic drama talent pool, HBO Europe has ordered the Norwegian original “Wilderness” (“Utmark” ), an eight-part series created and written by Kim Fupz Aakeson (“In Order of Disappearance”). The award-winning Icelandic director Dagur Kári (“Virgin Mountain”) is helming all eight episodes of the series.

“Wilderness” is a quirky comedy drama set in a small Norwegian town a little north of the middle of nowhere, and revolving around a corrupt sheriff, an alcoholic shepherd, a nature-loving bootlegger, a God-hating pastor and a grieving pimp. The HBO Europe original drama is produced by Finn Gjerdrum and Stein Kvae at Paradox.

“(‘Wilderness’) is bold, at times totally hilarious – and human all the way,” said Hanne Palmquist, the commissioning editor and VP original programming at HBO Nordic. “Kim Fupz has created an original bunch of flawed yet wonderful characters living in a far-flung place where civilization is a choice rather than a given,...

It is the first time a Norwegian feature has won the prestigious $52,000 prize.

Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s English-language family drama Louder Than Bombs has won the prestigious Nordic Council Film Prize.

The Dkk 350,000 ($52,000) prize will be shared between Trier, writer Eskil Vogt and producer Thomas Robsahm in recognition of the fact film-making is a collaboration between a director, writer and producer.

The Nordic Council is an inter-parliamentary body fostering cooperation between the Nordic territories including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Every year it awards prizes in five artistic categories including cinema, literature and music.

Louder than Bombs is the 13th recipient of the award and the first Norwegian feature to in the prize. Last year’s winner was Iceland’s Dagur Kári with Virgin Mountain (Fúsi).

Prince Frederik of Denmark presented the award at the autumn session of the Nordic Council, which is currently being held in Copenhagen.

It is the first time a Norwegian feature has won the prestigious $52,000 prize.

Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s English-language family drama Louder Than Bombs has won the prestigious Nordic Council Film Prize.

The Dkk 350,000 ($52,000) prize will be shared between Trier, writer Eskil Vogt and producer Thomas Robsahm in recognition of the fact film-making is a collaboration between a director, writer and producer.

The Nordic Council is an inter-parliamentary body fostering cooperation between the Nordic territories including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Every year it awards prizes in five artistic categories including cinema, literature and music.

Louder than Bombs is the 13th recipient of the award and the first Norwegian feature to in the prize. Last year’s winner was Iceland’s Dagur Kári with Virgin Mountain (Fúsi).

Prince Frederik of Denmark presented the award at the autumn session of the Nordic Council, which is currently being held in Copenhagen.

A lead up to the evening’s most perplexing event, was the switcheroo announcement crowning the top film of the festival first (Very Big Shot) and once that was out of the way, the big “move” from the jury was to make sure that everyone gets a trophy, and that no one wins second place (or it can be certainly read this way). During a time where the Paris events have still in public consciousness, the 15th edition will be looked back as one that unites. Unfortunately for me, there would be no after party and Todd Haynes’ Carol will have to wait as my battle with stomach demons continued. Here is the complete tally of the prizes. I wonder what airport security thought about the statute.

L’ÉTOILE D’Or – Le Grand Prix Du Festival

The Golden Star – Festival Grand Prize

Very Big Shot (Film kteer kbeer) de/by...

Icelandic-Danish film Virgin Mountain from writer-director Dagur Kári of Noi the Albino (2003) notoriety offers one of the most brilliant and understated lead performances at Lff this year. Larger-than-life Gunnar Jónsson makes man-mountain character Fúsi a symbol of good-natured society as life deals Fúsi raw deal after raw deal. Along the lines of a Scandi

The post Lff 2015: Virgin Mountain Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.

World premiere of Nordic disaster movie The Wave to open festival in Haugesund.

Joachim Trier’s Louder Than Bombs, starring Jesse Eisenberg, has been named as the closing film of the 43rd Norwegian International Film Festival (Aug 16-21) in Haugesund.

The drama, about how a father and his two sons confront their feelings of their deceased wife and mother, was Norway’s first Palme d’Or contender at Cannes in 36 years and is set to play at Toronto next month.

As previously announced, Niff will open with the world premiere of Roar Uthaug’s disaster movie, The Wave (Bølgen), when the festival is launched by Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon on Aug 16.

It means Norwegian films will both open and close the festival.

Tonje Hardersen, who was named the new Niff festival director in March, said: “I am very happy to see that local cinema is so well represented, and in so many genres.”

Considering the wider...

Danish cinema received a strong vote of confidence and a winning boost this weekend; two films from the Tribeca Film Festival won top dramatic jury prizes. And “Virgin Mountain,” a Danish-Icelandic film directed by Icelandic-born, Danish-raised Dagur Kári (“Noi the Albino” and the sorely underrated “The Good Heart” with Paul Dano and Brian Cox) won the coveted jury prize for best narrative feature film (and two other major prizes; Danish film "Bridgend" took three other baubles). And while the award may set expectations the movie can’t quite match, Kári’s fourth feature film is still a thoughtful, engaging, and compassionate look at the lonely outsider and his quiet emptiness. The movie’s name comes from its protagonist, Fúsi (Gunnar Jónsson), a hulking mass of a man who is untouched, cloistered, and naïve. This is not a foreign version of Judd Apatow’s “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” though on...

Over the weekend, the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival gave out their annual awards, putting a bow on the latest installment of the fest. It was a pretty solid festival, as far as I could tell, though in all fairness I saw less movies this year than I usually do at Tribeca. Still, the films that I did wind up privy to wound up impressing me, by and large. Most of my favorite titles weren’t cited by these awards, but one sort of was, and that was Leslye Headland’s wonderful Sleeping with Other People. That was a runner up (as you’ll see below), but it deserved plenty more. I personally would have given some awards to not just Sleeping with Other People, but also titles like Grandma, Misery Loves Comedy, and Slow West as well. I might do my own awards/best of piece later on in the week,...

Virgin Mountain Gentle Icelandic drama Virgin Mountain (Fúsi) was named best dramatic film at Tribeca. The film, which tells an offbeat love story, won a purse of $25,000 for director Dagur Kári, who took home a $5,000 bonus for best screenplay. The film's hat-trick of awards saw Gunnar Jónsson named as best actor for his role as shy man mountain Fúsi, whose subtle performance that relies as much on small gestures and looks as scripting, is fully deserving of recognition.

The other chief winner at this year's festival was a Danish film - shot in the UK - Bridgend. The film is certainly controversial, as it draws on the real-life suicides of teenagers and young adults in the Welsh town of the title and although some of the craft behind the film is good - particularly Magnus Jønck's excellent cinematography - I found the reductive nature of the picture painted (every.

Virgin Mountain and Bridgend were among the winners at the 14th annual Tribeca Film Festival; King Jack and Transfatty Lives take the audience awards.

It was also announced that, starting this year, the new name of the Best New Documentary Director Award is The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award, which was awarded on Thursday by the filmmaker’s children Philip Maysles and Sara Maysles.

The winners of the audience awards sponsored by At&T were King Jack, directed by Felix Thompson, in the narrative category, and TransFatty Lives, directed by Patrick O’Brien, in the documentary category .

World Narrative Competition Categories

The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Virgin Mountain (Iceland-Denmark), dir Dagur Kári. Winner receives $25,000 sponsored by At&T and the art award Ash Eroded Film Reel by Daniel Arsham.

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Gunnar Jónsson as Fúsi in Virgin Mountain. Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Citrin Cooperman.

Best Actress...

Virgin Mountain and Bridgend were among the winners at the 14th annual Tribeca Film Festival’s New York awards show at Spring Studios on Thursday night.

It was also announced that, starting this year, the new name of the Best New Documentary Director Award is The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award, which was awarded on Thursday by the filmmaker’s children Philip Maysles and Sara Maysles.

The winners of the audience awards sponsored by At&T will be announced on April 25.

World Narrative Competition Categories

The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Virgin Mountain (Iceland-Denmark), dir Dagur Kári. Winner receives $25,000 sponsored by At&T and the art award Ash Eroded Film Reel by Daniel Arsham.

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Gunnar Jónsson as Fúsi in Virgin Mountain. Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Citrin Cooperman.

Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Hannah Murray as Sara in Bridgend (Denmark, pictured). Winner...

Virgin Mountain and Bridgend were among the winners at the 14th annual Tribeca Film Festival’s New York awards show at Spring Studios on Thursday night.

It was also announced that, starting this year, the new name of the Best New Documentary Director Award is The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award, which was awarded on Thursday by the filmmaker’s children Philip Maysles and Sara Maysles.

The winners of the audience awards sponsored by At&T will be announced on April 25.

World Narrative Competition Categories

The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Virgin Mountain (Iceland-Denmark, pictured), dir Dagur Kári. Winner receives $25,000 sponsored by At&T and the art award Ash Eroded Film Reel by Daniel Arsham.

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Gunnar Jónsson as Fúsi in Virgin Mountain. Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Citrin Cooperman.

Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Hannah Murray as Sara in Bridgend (Denmark). Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Citrin Cooperman...

Virgin Mountain and Bridgend were among the winners at the 14th annual Tribeca Film Festival’s New York awards show at Spring Studios on Thursday night.

It was also announced that, starting this year, the new name of the Best New Documentary Director Award is The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award, which was awarded on Thursday by the filmmaker’s children Philip Maysles and Sara Maysles.

The winners of the audience awards sponsored by At&T will be announced on April 25.

World Narrative Competition Categories

The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Virgin Mountain (Iceland-Denmark, pictured), dir Dagur Kári. Winner receives $25,000 sponsored by At&T and the art award Ash Eroded Film Reel by Daniel Arsham.

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Gunnar Jónsson as Fúsi in Virgin Mountain. Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Citrin Cooperman.

Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Hannah Murray as Sara in Bridgend (Denmark). Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Citrin Cooperman...

  Tom Hardy cast in Rocketman. The casting of Tom Hardy in Rocketman (2015) answers the question of who will play the lead role in the Michael Gracey directed film. Tom Hardy will play musician Elton John in the Focus Features film written by Lee Hall. The official press release for Rocketman: Tom Hardy will [...]

Continue reading: Rocketman (2015): Tom Hardy cast as Elton John in Focus Features Film...

We last reported on the the Elton John biopic, Rocketman, where there were a lot of rumors out there, nothing official. Now it’s confirmed Tom Hardy (Bronson, Inception, Warrior, The Dark Knight Rises) will star as the musical legend. Rocketman is scheduled to shoot in 2014 and will feature new recordings from Elton John that will accompany the story from child prodigy to superstar.

I’ve wanted to see an Elton John biopic for a long time, so consider me excited. There is so much story to tell and how they will pull it off and how Tom hardy will portray the legend is going to be interesting.

The movie was written by Lee Hall (Billy Elliot), Rocketman will be directed by Michael Gracey.

Check out the full boring press release:

Tom Hardy To Star As Music Legend Elton John In Rocket Pictures’ Rocketman

Focus Features Plans Major U.S.

A few months ago word got out that Tom Hardy was looking at playing Elton John in a biopic called Rocketman. That casting choice has now been set in stone by an official announcement. It's still hard for me to imagine Hardy in this role. He's such a great actor, though, that I'm sure he's going to be fantastic in the movie.

The movie has been described as, "a biographical musical fantasy that will weave together John’s life and his music... it follows his life story from a child piano prodigy (who by age 11 won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music) to a young man who rebelled against his strict upbringing, wore outrageous costumes and became a global icon who teamed with songwriter Bernie Taupin to sell more records that just about any musical artist of his era."

This is going to be very different from anything we've seen Hardy do before.

After Justin Timberlake appeared on "SNL" as Elton John, the real Elton John announced that he would love for Timberlake to star in his biopic, called "Rocketman." Now comes word that the role has gone to Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises). "Rocketman" is a musical that tells the story of a child prodigy turned music legend. Elton will re-record many of his iconic hits to parallel the emotional beats of the film. The film is begin shooting this time next year. "Tom is quickly becoming known as one of the world's most versatile actors, and like others at the top of their craft, he has proven his ability to transform himself completely into the character or subject found in the material," said Focus Features CEO Peter Schlessel. "We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton." "Rocketman" will be directed by Michael Gracey...

Michael Gracey's Elton John biopic Rocketman has found its leading man, with Tom Hardy confirmed as the artist formerly known as Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Hardy had long been linked to the role, and the speculation was confirmed by an official press release from Focus Features, with CEO Peter Schlessel explaining, "we are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton." The film will follow John's journey from child prodigy to global superstar, with the action to be accompanied by a number of new recordings...

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As the latest actor to be named as the lead in Fifty Shades of Grey is announced, we've the lowdown on what's coming up today

In the headlines

• Jamie Dornan will probably play Christian in Fifty Shades of Grey

• Universal Studios Hollywood pulls "anti-gay" Bill and Ted Halloween show

• Tom Hardy to play Elton John in Rocketman

• Blue is the Warmest Colour director threatens legal action over "slurs"

• Alec Baldwin calls Rock of Ages a "horrible film"

• Row over Jeremy Piven pay holding back Entourage movie

Elsewhere on the site

• Xan Brooks tells us in no uncertain terms why we should go to the BFI's Gothic season

• Week in geek on the first trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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Tom Hardy, the generous-lipped actor who rose to fame in a biopic of Charles Bronson, is to take on the role of Elton John in the musician's official biopic

Tom Hardy is to play Elton John in the musical biopic Rocketman.

The star of Bronson and The Dark Knight Rises has officially signed for the project, which is being put together by the singer's own Rocket Pictures. The announcement caps a lengthy search for an actor to play the flamboyant musician. Rocketman will be directed by Michael Gracey from a screenplay by Billy Elliot's Lee Hall.

"Tom is a stellar talent who will add extraordinary depth and nuance in bringing Elton's story to life," said Rocket Pictures CEO Steve Hamilton Shaw. "We are excited to have such a gifted actor on board, and equally excited to be in the hands of Peter Schlessel and the entire Focus Features team.

London, Oct 24: British actor Tom Hardy has been cast as Elton John in 'Rocketman', a biopic based on the gay singer's eventful life and music career.

According to Focus Features, the film is being backed by the 'Candle in the Wind' hit maker as an executive producer and his husband David Furnish, Sky News reported.

The 66-year-old singer will also re-record some of his hit songs for the movie, which is being helmed by Michael Gracey. (Ani)...

He's a living legend that's still making new music and now Elton John will get his own big screen biopic called "Rocketman."

According to Variety, Tom Hardy will star as the iconic piano man and will begin filming next fall.

Directed by Michael Gracey, the movie will follow his life story beginning from childhood and will feature many of the 66-year-old's hits, which he plans to re-record.

According to FilmDistrict CEO Peter Schlessel, "We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton. This, in conjunction with the creative team led by Michael and Rocket Pictures, will provide the foundation for something that will be a unique cinematic event.”...

I…don’t see the resemblance, but then again I was pleasantly surprised when Michael Douglas transformed into music’s most flamboyant artist. Entertainment Weekly reports that Tom Hardy will play Elton John in the musician’s upcoming biopic, Rocketman. The film will cover John’s childhood through his career, with re-recorded hits from the man himself “to match emotional...Read more»...

Tom Hardy is an actor who definitely isn’t afraid of throwing himself wholly into his roles, bulking up to hugely muscular proportions as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and Charles Bronson in Bronson, but also playing cooler-headed characters like Ricky Tamm in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Eames in Inception. Although he has a considerable amount of range, Hardy nonetheless tends to be cast within a fairly set range of roles: fighters, spies and tough guys.

After a string of much-lauded roles in highly-praised movies (we’ll write This Means War off as a fluke), Hardy is at a point in his career where a lot of doors are probably open to him. He ...

Click to continue reading Tom Hardy Confirmed to Play Elton John in ‘Rocketman’ Biopic

The post Tom Hardy Confirmed to Play Elton John in ‘Rocketman’ Biopic appeared first on Screen Rant.

Elton John biopic Rocketman has been in the works for a couple of years now, and Tom Hardy’s name has often been bandied about as a possible choice for the main man, most recently by the team at Hitfix. Now the official word has come from Focus Features that Hardy is indeed going to play the artist formerly known as Reginald Dwight.With Lee Hall scripting and Michael Gracey directing, Rocketman promises to be a different kind of biopic, jumping around in time and taking fantastical visual leaps (which seems fitting for Sir Elton). John, who is producing via his Rocket Pictures company, is re-recording some of his greatest hits for the film.“Tom is a stellar talent who will add extraordinary depth and nuance in bringing Elton’s story to life,” Rocket Pictures’ Steve Hamilton Shaw says in a press release tracked down by Screen International. “We are...

Bet you didn't see this one coming! Tom Hardy has officially signed on to play the one and only Elton John in Rocket Pictures' biopic Rocketman. Known for his role as Bane in The Dark Knight Rights, the 36-year-old actor comes as a surprise to those who hoped Justin Timberlake would land the role. At one point, John revealed that the "Suit & Tie" singer was high on his wish list for potential actors. The upcoming film, slated to start shooting in fall 2014, will tell the story of Sir Elton's life as a young prodigy (then known as Reg Dwight) all the way to becoming an Oscar- and Grammy-winning musician.  Sir Elton himself is expected to re-record many of his iconic hits...

We haven't seen or heard much about Tom Hardy since his turn as the villainous Bane in The Dark Knight Rises last year. The actor had been busy filming Mad Max: Fury Road among other films. Today, the actor added a new project to his list of upcoming films. Deadline reports that Hardy has signed on to play music icon Elton John in a biopic titled Rocketman. The film tracks John's life from childhood to his meteoric rise to stardom. The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer is set to rerecord a number of his biggest films for the film. Rocketman is being written by War Horse writer Lee Hall and scheduled to begin filming in fall 2014. Three actors have been mentioned as potential candidates for the lead role in the long-gestating John Belushi biopic. THR...

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Tom Hardy will star as Elton John in Rocket Pictures’ Rocketman, and Focus Features has come aboard to give the film a major U.S. release, producers announced today.

The Hardy deal caps a lengthy search to cast the role of Elton in the film, which will be co-financed by AI Film.

Much like the man himself, Rocketman is a larger-than-life movie musical spectacle that tells the story of a child prodigy turned music legend. Elton will re-record many of his iconic hits to parallel the emotional beats of the film that will have audiences on their feet, singing along to his much loved music. The film is scheduled to shoot in fall 2014.

Incoming Focus CEO Peter Schlessel, brought Rocketman from FilmDistrict to Focus Features.

Rocketman is produced by Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish of Rocket Pictures and Lawrence Bender on behalf of AI Film, the film production and...

After months of speculation, Tom Hardy has been confirmed to play Elton John in Rocketman, according to The Wrap. The film will be "a larger-than-life movie musical spectacle that tells the story of a child prodigy turned music legend." Reportedly, John will re-record "many" of his songs "to parallel the emotional beats of the film." I have no idea what that means, exactly, but it sounds like an excellent way to drive sales of the inevitable soundtrack album. Rocketman will be distributed in the U.S. by Focus Features, which is in the process of being transformed by new CEO Peter Schlessel, who brought the project from his former job as head of FilmDistrict. Michael Gracey will direct, based on an original screenplay by Lee Hall...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

The red-hot actor will star as Elton John. Focus Features will distribute Rocket Pictures and Icon/AI Film’s biopic in the Us after incoming CEO brought it over from FilmDistrict. Good Universe handles international sales.

John will re-record many of his hits for the musical film, scheduled to shoot in autumn 2014.

Michael Gracey will direct and most recently directed Hugh Jackman in The Greatest Showman On Earth for Fox. Lee Hall wrote the Rocketman screenplay.

Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish of Rocket Pictures are producing alongside Lawrence Bender on behalf of AI Film, the production and financing company that resulted from the acquisition by Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries acquisition of Icon.

John and Blavatnik served as executive producers along with AI Film CEO Aviv Giladi and Schlessel. UTA Independent Film Group arranged financing for the project and negotiated the sale to FilmDistrict.

“Tom is a stellar talent who will add extraordinary depth and nuance...

The Elton John biopic, titled Rocketman, is finally taking off as Tom Hardy has been chosen for the lead role, with Focus Features landing the U.S. distribution rights.

This has been a long time coming, as the project has been in development since 2011 with several actors attached to it at various points in time. For a while, Justin Timberlake was the favorite. This past Summer though, Hardy’s name popped up and now he seems to be confirmed.

The script was written by Lee Hall with help from John himself, so any worries about this being a crummy biopic can be put to rest. Apparently, the film will cover John’s childhood, his partnership with Bernie Taupin, his rise to fame and pretty much everything else in the famous musician’s interesting life.

Production isn’t set to begin until Fall 2014, so they’ve still got a while before...

Rumors have been swirling for months, but now it’s apparently official: Tom Hardy is set to play Elton John in the biopic Rocketman. Yes, that Tom Hardy, the meaty Warrior star who murdered our loins with fine stares and poses in Inception.

This begs the question: Is this casting decision too weird? Was it drawn up by a Madman Across the Water or a Little Jeannie-us? (Xoxoxoxo.)

All I know is I’m happy about this, because Tom Hardy matches Elton John’s candor in every single interview he does. For example, here’s a clip of him during the junket for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy admitting he’s never read John Le Carre’s work or seen the British miniseries of the same name — and he is charming about it.

We don’t have to worry too much about his singing chops, because apparently Elton himself will be...

From Bane and Mad Max to Elton John? So it seems. Variety confirms that Tom Hardy will star as the legendary British entertainer in the long-gestating biopic Rocketman, which Focus Features will distribute. This story has been around for awhile, though parties finally can confirm the casting. Michael Gracey will direct the film, and production is scheduled to start up next fall. They.ll work from a screenplay by War Horse scribe Lee Hall. Said Peter Schlessel, the relatively new CEO at a restructured Focus Features, .We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton. This, in conjunction with the creative team led by [Rocket Pictures], will provide the foundation for something that will be a unique cinematic event.. Flamboyance. Charisma. Theatricality. These are all character traits one associates with John . though not necessarily with Hardy, if we.re being honest. The brutal brute of ...

Tom Hardy has been announced as the lead role in the upcoming Elton John biopic.

The musical film, Rocketman, will be directed by Michael Gracey, who recently worked on Fox's upcoming The Greatest Showman On Earth which stars Hugh Jackman and Disney's The Muppet Man.

Singer John will be re-recording a number of his greatest hits to fit in with the emotion of the film.

Rocket Pictures CEO Steve Hamilton Shaw said: "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, and equally excited to be in the hands of Peter Schlessel and the entire Focus Features team."

Focus Features CEO Peter Schlessel added: "Tom is quickly becoming known as one of the world's most versatile actors, and like others at the top of their craft, he has proven his...

Brit actor on-the-rise Tom Hardy ("The Dark Knight Rises") will channel Elton John in “Rocketman," a musical biopic for Rocket Pictures, with a planned fall 2014 shoot. And Focus Features's new chief Peter Schlessel, who picked up U.S. rights to the film for FilmDistrict in June, will release the movie through Focus. Michael Gracey (Fox’s upcoming "The Greatest Showman on Earth" starring Hugh Jackman, and Disney's "The Muppet Man") will direct “Rocketman” from a screenplay by Lee Hall (“War Horse”) that tells the story of the child prodigy turned music legend. John is cooperating with the film's soundtrack, which will include several re-recorded songs. Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish of Rocket Pictures will produce with and Lawrence Bender on behalf of AI Film. Good Universe picked up international sales at Cannes. Sir Elton John and Len Blavatnik are executive producing, along with AI Film CEO Aviv Giladi and Schlessel.

Tom Hardy will star as Elton John in Rocket Pictures' Rocketman, and Focus Features has come aboard to give the film a major U.S. release, producers announced today.

The Hardy deal caps a lengthy search to cast the role of Elton in the film, which will be co-financed by AI Film.

Much like the man himself, Rocketman is a larger-than-life movie musical spectacle that tells the story of a child prodigy turned music legend. Elton will re-record many of his iconic hits to parallel the emotional beats of the film that will have audiences on their feet, singing along to his much loved music. The film is scheduled to shoot in fall 2014.

Incoming Focus CEO Peter Schlessel, brought Rocketman from FilmDistrict to Focus Features.

Rocketman is produced by Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish of Rocket Pictures and Lawrence Bender on behalf of AI Film, the film production...

Confirming earlier rumors and bizarre fever dreams, Tom Hardy has been officially set to play Elton John in Rocketman, the upcoming “musical spectacle” that will attempt to find something flashy and over-the-top about the life of Elton John. In a statement, Peter Schlessel of Focus Features, the film’s U.S. distributor, said, “We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton”—acknowledging that, while Elton John will re-record his songs for Hardy to lip synch, presumably, Hardy nevertheless accurately captures the physique of the musician who’s spent nearly 50 years playing a piano ...

Back in May, we heard that Tom Hardy was in consideration to star in an Elton John biopic. Well, it’s happening! Entitled Rocketman, it was described as "a biographical musical fantasy that weaves together the life of Sir Elton John and his music." The film was written by War Horse scribe Lee Hall and will be directed by newbie Michael Gracey. Production will begin next fall. Until then, sing it with us: “And I think it's gonna be a long, long time / Till touchdown brings me 'round again to find / I'm not the man they think I am at home / Oh, no, no, no, I'm Gotham’s reckoning / Gotham’s reckoning, burning out his fuse down here with Batman.”...

Over two years ago news first surfaced of a new project called Rocketman, a biographical musical fantasy about the bespectacled singer and songwriter Elton John. The project was said to weave together the life and music of John's career starting with his life as a child prodigy on the piano, moving through his rebellious teen years and onto his iconic years as quite an outrageously and outlandishly dressed showman and one hell of a musician, singer and songwriter. In May, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception star Tom Hardy was being eyed to take the lead role, and now Deadline confirms that the actor is set for the role. Supposedly this is one of the final film deals that was finished at FilmDistrict before it became absorbed by Focus Features. Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman on Earth) is directed the film from Billy Elliot scribe Lee Hall. Again, Hardy has...

Bane is ready to ditch his mask for rose-colored glasses.

Tom Hardy has signed on to play Elton John in Rocket Pictures’ biopic Rocketman, which will be released in the U.S. by Focus Features.

Rocketman will tell John’s legendary story, from his childhood to his unbelievable rise to fame. John is set to re-record a number of his biggest hits to match the emotional moments in the film, which will be directed by Michael Gracey, the man behind the upcoming film The Greatest Showman on Earth starring Hugh Jackman.

With an original screenplay written by Academy Award nominee...

I can't quite see this in my mind's eye, but Tom Hardy must have sold them on the prospect of him stepping into the shoes of Elton John in Rocketman, a biopic on the English singer-songwriter, composer and musician to be directed by visual effects-artist-turned-director Michael Gracey. Described as a musical-biographical film which will follow John's journey from 5-year old musical prodigy who by age 11 won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, to a young man who rebelled against his strict upbringing, wore outrageous costumes and became a global icon who teamed with songwriter Bernie Taupin to sell more records than just about any musical artist of his era. Rights to John's musical catalog are included so this won't be a half-assed production. FilmDistrict acquired the rights back in June for $10 million. It should be interesting to see how this pans out. Deadline Everything said, here are some videos featuring Hardy's singing ability.

Tom Hardy ("The Dark Knight Rises," "Inception") is now officially confirmed to be starring as Elton John in the biopic "Rocketman" at Rocket Pictures and Focus Features.

Lee Hall ("Billy Elliot," "War Horse") penned the script which will combine the true story of John's life with fantastical elements from his songs.

The film will start with his life at age 11 and continue through adulthood with his songs providing musical backing. Hardy's deal was closed after a lengthy search to cast the role.

Michael Gracey directs the film which begins shooting next Fall. Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish will produce.

Source: Focus Features...

Tom Hardy -- known for playing macho roles in films such as "The Dark Knight Rises," "Bronson," and "Warrior" -- is ready to wear a giant duck costume and play "Crocodile Rock." The Brit actor will star as pop icon Sir Elton John in Focus Features' biopic "Rocketman." HitFix first reported the casting in May, but after a lengthy search for the film's lead, the news was confirmed today by the studio.    "Rocketman" will follow the eccentric piano-playing pop legend's meteoric rise to stardom, from his early years to his dominance of '70s and '80s radio with hits like "Crocodile Rock," "Candle in the Wind," "Saturday...

When last we reported on the the Elton John biopic, Rocketman, Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) was circling the lead. We can now confirm Hardy will star as the musical legend in the Rocket Pictures and Focus Features film. Rocketman is scheduled to shoot in 2014 and will feature new recordings from Elton John himself that will accompany the emotional dynamics of the story that follows John from child prodigy to superstar. Written by Lee Hall (Billy Elliot), Rocketman will be directed by Michael Gracey. Check out all the details after the jump. Find out more on Hardy starring in Rocketman via the following press release: Tom Hardy To Star As Music Legend Elton John In Rocket Pictures’ Rocketman Focus Features Plans Major U.S. Release Los Angeles (October 23, 2013) – Tom Hardy will star as Elton John in Rocket Pictures’ Rocketman, and Focus Features has come aboard to give the film a major U.

This project has taken a while to find the right notes (sorry). Brewing since at least 2011, it seems that finding the right person tackle the personality, sequins and sunglasses of Elton John has been the struggle to get this thing going.  At one point, Justin Timberlake was eyed as a possibility, but that didn't seem right at all. Then this past spring, "Rocketman" was floated Tom Hardy's way by producers who thought he would be a good fit. We think he is a good fit too, and better yet, so does he. Hardy is now confirmed for the lead role in the biopic, while Focus Features has landed the U.S. distribution rights for the flick as well (so any worries that it would become a soulless, genre label can rest easy for now). The project very much involves John himself, who worked on the script with Lee Hall,...

New Focus Features CEO Peter Schlessel is making Elton John biopic Rocketman a priority as he takes over the reins of the specialty division. Starring Tom Hardy as the legendary performer, the Rocket Pictures biopic is the first FilmDistrict title that Schlessel is bringing with him and slotting on Focus' slate. FilmDistrict, the distribution entity co-founded by Schlessel, ponied up a hearty $10 million this summer for U.S. rights to Rocketman, which John is executive producing. Under the rule of longtime Focus CEO James Schamus, Focus was more art house oriented. FilmDistrict had a more diverse slate, and

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