RocketmanandBohemian Rhapsodymay have their similarities, but they’re very different movies.
While attending a press conference on Friday at theCannes Film Festival, the day afterRocketmanpremiered to a standing ovation, starTaron Egertonaddressed the inevitable comparisons many will make between the film and the Queen biopic, which was released in November — and went on torake in close to $1 billion at the worldwide box office.
Although both movies center around the life and times of larger than life rock stars, Egerton has saidRocketmanis a “different animal.”
“I’m proud that we’re mentioned in the same breath,” Egerton, who portrays singer Elton John in the upcoming film, remarked, according toVariety. “That film has been such a phenomenon, and rightly so.”
“I can’t remember who did that, who finished it off,” the 29-year-old actor quipped, making a sly reference toRocketmandirector Dexter Fletcher, who was brought in to finish directing the Queen biopic after the original directorBryan Singer was fired.
Commenting on one of the major differences, Egerton pointed out that he sings John’s songs in the movie.
“Our movie is a musical. Itrequires an actor who can singin the lead role. For a biopic, that’s not necessary,” he continued. “I’m very grateful that people compare us. Hopefully, it shows that there’s an appetite for movies [like this]. However, that movie is a unicorn.”
AsBohemian Rhapsody‘s Rami Malek toldMetro, the Freddie Mercury we hear in the film is “an amalgamation of a few voices.” The singer’s vocalsare those of Malek mixedtogether with Marc Matel, famous for impersonating Mercury on YouTube.
Fletcher has also spoken out about his experiences with both films, revealing that he never feltany kind of emotional attachmentto the Queen biopic.
“I wanted to do a good job and bring it home. A lot of people were working hard and needed someone to get it over the line,” he recently toldIndieWireof taking the reins. “I did my best work. I drove it and propelled it, but was not emotionally attached to it.”
Fletcher was an easy choice for producers, as he was previously hired to directBohemian Rhapsodyonce before, though he quit in 2014, citing creative differences with producer Graham King, according toDeadline.
Elton John and Taron Egerton.Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty
“[The producers] sort of said, ‘Look, this is a film that needs to be finished,’ and they trusted me with that responsibility,” he toldIndiewire. “It was really about watching what had been already created and being part of that. It wasn’t like changing and reinventing the wheel.”
Fletcher did not receive official credit from the Directors Guild of America for his work, butBohemian Rhapsodywas a success despite the turmoil, earning a Best Picture nod at theOscarsand winning four trophies, including Best Actor for Malek.
Mike Marsland/WireImage
Of Egerton, John commended the actor for his performance, saying, “I don’t see an actor, I see myself.”
“This has been a very emotional night for me … Even if the movie doesn’t make one penny at the box office which will kill Jim Gianopulos [CEO of Paramount], it is the movie I wanted to make,” John added.
Rocketmanhits theaters May 31.
source: people.com
