Elton John Didn't Want Taron Egerton To Sound Like Him In Rocketman

Elton John Didn't Want Taron Egerton To Sound Like Him In Rocketman

You’ve probably heard by now that actor Taron Egerton does all of his own singing for his role as Elton John in Rocketman. It’s incredible and just adds another layer of authenticity to the performance that helps Taron Egerton disappear into the role. But while being able to sing is a huge deal, Elton John himself had a specific request for the actor playing him, as Taron Egerton explained:

He said not to try and sound like him, which is tough when you’re playing him.

This certainly seems counterintuitive and Taron Egerton said as much when speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of Rocketman. When you’re an actor in a biopic, the logical assumption is that you should try to become that person in any and every way possible, from look and mannerisms to way of speaking and, when the subject is a famous rock star, as is the case in Rocketman, singing.

But Elton John did not want Taron Egerton to try and sound like him which is something that the actor had to work on because it went against his instincts in the role. He’s dressed as Elton John and singing Elton John songs, but Elton John doesn’t want him to sound like Elton John. Who knows how much practice was for naught after that request.

Taron Egerton must have been quite taken aback upon hearing this request and had to adjust his whole approach to the singing in the film. Yet, he has said that he really just wanted to make Elton John happy with his performance, so if that’s what Elton wants, that’s what Elton gets.

Taron Egerton didn’t reveal why Elton John made the request that he not try and sound like him, so we are left to speculate. Perhaps hearing Taron Egerton’s singing chops, Elton John just wanted the actor to use his own voice and not try and imitate him because it wouldn’t be as powerful and authentic, and he would sound better if he didn’t.

We know Elton John thought highly of Taron Egerton’s singing, and it sounds like he wanted him to put his own spin on the beloved tunes and express himself as an artist without being afraid to try things because they wouldn’t adhere to what Elton sounds like. The important thing is that the songs sound good and Taron Egerton captures the essence of Elton John’s music, even if he doesn’t sound exactly like him.

This request seems to have worked all around. Rocketman is receiving rave reviews and given that Elton John is sending positive notices to Taron Egerton, one assumes that he was happy with how it all turned out.

Rocketman launches in theaters today. This is just one of the exciting movies arriving this summer, check out the rest in our 2019 Release Schedule and for all your movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Almost Featured Darth Maul’s Original Voice Actor

Solo: A Star Wars Story Almost Featured Darth Maul’s Original Voice Actor

Arguably the biggest surprise from Solo: A Star Wars Story was the cameo from Darth Maul, who was last seen in live action being sliced in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace, but had continued on to be a recurring character in the Star Wars universe’s animated realm. While Ray Park returned to physically portray Maul for Solo, Sam Witwer, who previously voiced the character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, vocally reprised the character instead of Peter Serafinowicz, who voiced him in The Phantom Menace. As it turns out, though, Serafinowicz did record lines for Solo, though this readings ultimately went unused for the final cut.

Peter Serafinowicz, currently best known for playing The Tick on the same-named Amazon series, traveled to Pinewood Studios to visit the Solo: A Star Wars Story set and speak with director Ron Howard about Darth Maul, specifically what he’d “become” following his defeat on Naboo. Serafinowicz then recorded his lines, and the following day is when Ray Park was brought in to act out Maul’s scenes on camera. Fast-forward to the days leading up to Solo’s release, Serafinowicz was excited to bring his kids and their friends to the movie and have them hear him voice the former Sith Lord, but then he learned how things had changed following the Solo world premiere. As he recalled to Collider Live:

I got this email saying, ‘We’re sorry, but we actually changed the voice actor to Sam Witwer,’ which is kind of fair enough. They said it was better for the continuity of the thing. But it was a bit disappointing.

On the one hand, I understand Peter Serafinowicz being disappointed not to get to hear himself voicing Darth Maul again. After all, though Maul was a Zabrak of few words in The Phantom Menace, Serafinowicz was the one who made him sound sinister and meaning during his introductory appearance, and almost two decades later, he traveled all the way to Pinewood Studios to reprise for Solo: A Star Wars Story. On the other hand, given that Sam Witwer has voiced Maul for nearly a decade and has been integral to the character becoming more interesting, I get why the Solo filmmakers decided to switch to him instead. Still, it would have been nice if Serafinowicz and his family were at least invited to the Solo premiere given his history with Maul and that he contributed to the movie.

Darth Maul was absent from Solo: A Star Wars Story until nearly the very end, when it was revealed that he was Dryden Vos’ boss and the head of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate. Qi’ra contacted Maul to inform him that Dryden Vow and his men had been killed by Tobias Beckett and his accomplices, though she didn’t name Han and Chewbacca as the culprits. Though disappointed by this turn of events, Maul ordered Qi’ra to come to Dathomir so they could start working more closely together. While it doesn’t look like Solo 2 will happen, perhaps there will be an opportunity in the future for Qi’ra and Maul’s relationship to be explored in a Star Wars novel, comic book or, as a best case scenario, a Disney+ series. If not, at least those who haven’t kept up with Maul past the theatrical movies can fill in the blanks of his story by checking out The Clone Wars and Rebels.

While it remains to be seen if/when we’ll see Darth Maul on screen again, the Star Wars saga continues with the release of Episode IX on December 20. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates concerning a galaxy far, far away, and be sure to browse through our 2019 release schedule to plan your trips to the theater this year accordingly.

Is Detective Pikachu Already Getting A Sequel?

Is Detective Pikachu Already Getting A Sequel?

Detective Pikachu has only been in theaters for about a week and half at this point, but in that short time it has proven to be a real all-around success. Beyond pretty good reviews (arguably great for a video game movie), Detective Pikachu has had a solid box office showing-- particularly internationally. So it would come as little surprise if it got a sequel and according to a new report, that’s exactly what’s happening.

According to Comicbook.com, Legendary is moving forward with a sequel to Detective Pikachu. The idea being that the sequel, which is in the early stages of development at this point, would be the next step for the Pokémon universe on film before expanding out the franchise into other Pokémon movies beyond the Detective Pikachu series.

Apparently as Detective Pikachu developed, The Pokémon Company became more comfortable with characters and elements of the franchise being translated onscreen. That gave it ideas and confidence that a more expansive Pokémon world could be rendered cinematically in an effective fashion. If Detective Pikachu was a proof of concept, it did its job.

This news should be viewed as a rumor for now, until there is more concrete information like an official announcement. But it certainly Detective Pikachu getting a sequel would certainly make sense on multiple levels.

As far as dollars and cents are concerned, even though it released in the massive wake of Avengers: Endgame, Detective Pikachu has found an audience. The film debuted to $54.4 million domestic and has made $94.3 million to date according to Box Office Mojo. Overseas the Ryan Reynolds film has enjoyed two straight weekends atop the charts, earning over $196 million for a worldwide box office that is closing in on $300 million.

As previously mentioned, Detective Pikachu has received good reviews that although aren’t quite gushing. But it still cements it as about the best-reviewed video game movie ever. The movie also fared favorably with audiences, earning an “A-“ CinemaScore.

Beyond those more quantitative metrics, there is the fact that star Ryan Reynolds has expressed interest in returning to the world for another entry. He also touched on the potential that the world of Pokémon offers and on that point he is absolutely right. Detective Pikachu did the one job it had to by showing that Pokémon and live-action humans could be believable together on film and it nailed it.

That means that all the wide world of the property could make its way to the big screen with tons of possibilities and a clear path to a cinematic universe. But the first step towards that, if this rumor is to be believed, is Detective Pikachu 2.

Detective Pikachu SPOILERS to follow so don't read on until you've seen it!

My one major question about a potential Detective Pikachu 2 is how does such a film maintain the same conceit as the first film, specifically, the relationship between a talking Pikachu and Justice Smith’s Tim. At the end of the film it is revealed that Tim’s father Harry had his memory wiped and was fused with his Pikachu, thereby allowing him to talk to Tim.

So with that condition reversed by Mewtwo at the end of the movie, a sequel would presumably not have a talking Pikachu. I think it can still work, but it will be a change. Maybe a sequel would have Tim becoming a detective alongside his dad, played by Ryan Reynolds, and his Pikachu and the three can crack an even bigger case together.

Detective Pikachu is now playing. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this summer’s biggest movies.

Is Rocketman Having Issues With Its Nudity And Gay Content?

Is Rocketman Having Issues With Its Nudity And Gay Content?

As Rocketman, the “musical fantasy” biopic showcasing Elton John's life and career, has been progressing through production, there have been certain promises made to the audience. Namely, that it will be a fantastical spin that also tells Sir Elton's personal story, including a no holds barred approach. Well, it looks like that promise is already coming into question, as recent whispers indicate that Paramount, the studio releasing the film, wants a nude scene cut from the film.

The story goes as follows: there's an approximately 40 second scene where Taron Edgerton and Richard Madden have what's been referred to as a “nude cuddle” in Rocketman. Reportedly this scene is offensive enough to the studio that they want it cut, and the filmmakers are fighting this decision through “heated discussions.” In other words, it sounds like the studio is balking at the more adult oriented approach, and those making the film aren't having it.

Some may think this argument is odd, considering Rocketman is poised to do what Bohemian Rhapsody would not in regards to same sex attraction. It's expected to be a biopic that could appeal to Elton John fans, while also showing his more R-rated vices, warts and all. However, the Bryan Singer directed film is exactly what Paramount is probably thinking about when putting the finishing touches on this piece of musical history; especially considering the meteoric ride that film has taken to the bank and a slew of Oscars.

With $879 million dollars in international grosses, and four wins out of five Academy Award nominations, Bohemian Rhapsody is more than likely going to be the benchmark most studios aim for when it comes to musical biopics. And that film has one key advantage when compared to Rocketman's more adult approach: its PG-13 rating allowed it a wider swath of audience members that could enjoy it in theaters.

So if Paramount has even a thought of making Rocketman a close to billion dollar success, it's more than likely that the studio wants to have a cozy PG-13 rating attached to it. Which makes this latest item from Baz Bamigboye's Twitter all the more believable, as well as that much more unfortunate. The issues that the studio seems to have with director Dexter Fletcher's movie don't seem rooted in any sort of moral grounding, but rather it feels like this is a business decision being made for the commercial viability of the film.

It'd be interesting to hear what Sir Elton John thinks of the Rocketman debacle, as he's been a driving force behind getting this project off the ground for some time now. With everyone from Justin Timberlake to Tom Hardy having their names put into the ring for consideration, it's been quite the road to where the film currently resides. If these reports get back to the right people, sooner or later there has to be a clarification as to whether the film will include the sex and nudity it's talked up, or if they back down and trim the film to a more blockbuster friendly extent.

Rocketman burns out its fuse in theaters, alone, on May 31, 2019.

Why Palpatine Had To Show Up In Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

Why Palpatine Had To Show Up In Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

Last week, Star Wars Celebration blew the roof off of the internet with the first look at Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. There is lots to talk about in the new teaser, but the most popular item is probably the return of Emperor Palpatine. The classic Star Wars baddie is making a comeback, and while we are left to wonder exactly how that's possible, it's not too surprising that Palpatine is back. When you think about it, there weren't any other choices for a villain because, well, there's no one else left.

The ominous laugh of Emperor Palpatine closes out The Rise of Skywalker teaser trailer, and director J.J. Abrams later confirmed that Palpatine is definitely back for the final installment of the trilogy. The news caught fans by surprise. Even though Palpatine's return was a popular fan theory for years, it's still nuts to see him actually coming back.

It's an exciting way to close out the saga that began way back in 1977, but once the lights dim down, it becomes increasingly clear that Star Wars didn't really have any other option but to bring Palpatine back.

For starters, the news isn't all that surprising when you consider bringing back the familiar is J.J. Abrams' Star Wars M.O. He directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which indulged in plenty of nostalgia. A popular criticism of that film is that it's TOO similar to the Original Trilogy. After all, there's basically another Death Star lead by a creepy old man who appears as a hologram to a masked servant who has family ties to the good guys.

Plus, Abrams is bringing back Lando in The Rise of Skywalker, so extending the invite to Palpatine is just giving the people more of what they want. Critics of this move might say that bringing Palpatine back isn't too exciting and a sign that this new trilogy might not have had many fresh ideas left.

I don't think I necessarily agree with all that, but I do think that this trilogy found itself in a bit of a hole, and the only way out was by resurrecting Palpatine.

To be fair, Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy have said that it was always the plan to bring Palpatine back at the end. The problem with that though is that it's never been entirely clear how much was planned for the story of the three new films. Even though Abrams set up some mysteries, The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson said he was working with a blank slate and had total creative freedom. That doesn't sound like much of a plan.

The Last Jedi, for all that it does right, put The Rise of Skywalker into a pickle because it wiped all the villains off the board. Fans hyped the crap out of Snoke, who turned out to be something of a red herring and killed off pretty easily. He just wasn't that interesting to begin with, but he was the closest thing these films had to an overarching villain.

The other option is Kylo Ren, but he's a circle trying to fit into a square hole. Ren's arc is so tied up in whether or not he'll be redeemed, he doesn't feel like a true villain. He's too conflicted to be the final boss. So, we're left without any villain to take us to the homestretch, unless you want General Hux to get a major promotion.

It's also too late to introduce a new villain. Since it's the final movie, why should anybody care about a character who pops up out of nowhere? There isn't enough for an audience to invest in. His connection to the main characters would be tenuous at best, and it's tough to see any motivations that would be compelling enough to get attached to.

Palpatine, however, fixes all of those problems. He's a familiar character, so people already know his whole deal, and the movie doesn't have to waste time introducing him. Plus, he has the nostalgia factor, and it's a lot more fun to talk about him than it is some new guy.

While Palpatine's motivations are thin (he wants to rule the galaxy because he wants to), that works for him. Star Wars is pretty black and white, and Palpatine is meant to be the face of ultimate evil. He's a cruel bastard and not much else, but that's also the point. He's not meant to be more than that, so it's even easier to get on board with his return because it doesn't come with a lot of complicated baggage.

Additionally, Palpatine is THE Star Wars bad guy. If The Rise of Skywalker is meant to close the book on these characters and the story we've come to know, it's fitting that he's the final obstacle. He's technically been the main villain of two trilogies and he's the architect of almost all the bad stuff that happens in Star Wars. Why not bring him back for one last go-around?

The whole mystery behind how Palpatine will factor into the movie can't be undersold either. There are going to be tons of fan theories and discussions about this topic before the film arrives in December. The trailer has already drummed up a ton of buzz, and utilizing a familiar and beloved bad guy certainly doesn't hurt in the marketing department either.

I suppose it's not very hard to get excited for a new Star Wars movie, but Palpatine has been gone for a long time. There's no shame in being excited that the villain will be back to laugh and shoot a bunch of lightning one last time.

I think that it's too soon to say whether bringing back Palpatine is a good or bad decision. It'll all depend on how he's brought back and how he's mixed into the plot. You can argue that it's a lazy and safe decision, but I also think it was the only one the filmmakers could have made. Options are a lot more limited in the villain department after Snoke died and it's too late to bring in a new bad guy. However, the advantage of Palpatine is that we at least have an idea of what to expect.

Robert Rodriguez Really Loved Picking James Cameron’s Brain During Alita: Battle Angel

Robert Rodriguez Really Loved Picking James Cameron’s Brain During Alita: Battle Angel

At this point in his career, Robert Rodriguez is hardly a newbie. It was nearly 30 years ago that he directed his first feature, 1992's El Mariachi, and he's made close to 20 features in that time. He is most definitely regarded as a veteran in the filmmaker community - but apparently that status did absolutely nothing to stop him from constantly looking to the legendary James Cameron in the making of Alita: Battle Angel:

Jim’s like the ultimate Yoda. First, he’s like, ‘You don’t need guidance. Stop calling me a mentor, you don’t need any mentoring.’ You know, he’s just totally empowering. He does it without even trying. If I ask him a question, he will give you back a really thoughtful Jim Cameron answer.

Robert Rodriguez and James Cameron had the opportunity to work together closely in the making of Alita: Battle Angel, as the former directed a script written by the latter, and clearly Rodriguez truly loved the time they spent together, and the wisdom he gleaned. It was a subject he discussed with apparent enthusiasm during a recent interview with Indiewire.

Being a significant part of the 1990s indie director movement, Robert Rodriguez has a number of titles on his resume that are beloved by certain cinephiles, including Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Grindhouse, but there's also no real arguing that James Cameron operates on a different level. You can't even properly list the game-changing titles on the man's resume because it gets too unwieldy in text and you have to make controversial omissions.

I think it's safe to say that any of us put in Robert Rodriguez's position would treat James Cameron's eminence the same way, and one extra benefit is that Rodriguez made an effort to permanently capture the pearls of wisdom Cameron had to offer:

So I just have it on record. I turn my phone recorder on, because it’s like some of this will go right over my head and I’m going have to go back and study it. He’s so freaking brilliant.

It seems like the collaboration will be one that Robert Rodriguez will long cherish - and there's still a lingering question mark regarding whether or not he will get the chance to work alongside James Cameron again. Following pessimistic early box office prognostications, Alita: Battle Angel has turned into an impressive hit, to date making $360.3 million worldwide (though only $74.7 million comes from domestic grosses). At this point we're still waiting to see if there will be an opportunity for the project to produce a sequel, but the possibility definitely exists.

Even if Robert Rodriguez and James Cameron never get to work together again, though, at the very least it sounds like Rodriguez made the most from the time.

For those of you who have not yet seen it Alita: Battle Angel - starring Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Skrein, and Mahershala Ali - is now playing in theaters worldwide.

How Much Toy Story 4 Could Make Opening Weekend

How Much Toy Story 4 Could Make Opening Weekend

This summer is absolutely stacked with movies, and one of the most high-profile is Toy Story 4. It's been nine years since Toy Story 3 and the new film in the series will find Buzz and Woody reuniting with Bo Peep and trying to find their way back to Bonnie. There's a lot of love for the Toy Story franchise and it sounds like the new film is in for a pretty healthy opening weekend, should all go well. Early tracking for Toy Story 4 has the movie opening to as much as $130 million.

Everybody is talking about Avengers: Endgame and how that film is breaking every record under the sun, but this is only the start of the summer season. There are plenty of other movies that are aiming for box office supremacy, and Toy Story 4 has a solid shot at becoming the highest-grossing animated film of the year.

While we are still a good distance away from the film's June release date, early tracking for Toy Story 4 is already in progress. According to Box Office Pro, the film could open within the range of $105 million to $130 million.

There are a number of factors that could swing this projection. The Toy Story franchise has a lot of nostalgia attached to it, and given the nine-year gap between films, older fans may want to bring kids who were born after Toy Story 3 and introduce them to the franchise. Additionally, reactions to trailers and other footage have been positive, as well as reactions to new characters like Forky.

However, Toy Story 3 is seen as the perfect conclusion to the series by some viewers, so they may not feel compelled to check out the latest adventure. This wouldn't really deter younger fans, but interest in the film amongst older generations isn't as high as it was for Finding Dory and Incredibles 2 by this point, according to Box Office Pro.

The film will also open two weeks after The Secret Life of Pets 2, which could cause Toy Story 4 to have a deflated opening if the Illumination sequel is well-received.

Comparatively, this opening projection is fairly in line with Toy Story 3, which grossed $110 million opening weekend. However it falls behind two of Pixar's most successful films box office-wise. Finding Dory opened with $135 million while Incredibles 2 was Pixar's best opening ever with $182.7 million. However, it's still fairly early, and projections tend to change the closer it gets to the release date.

Will Toy Story 4 be able to escape the Oscar-nominated shadow of Toy Story 3? We'll know for sure when the film arrives in theaters on June 21, 2019. For everything else coming to theaters this year, check out our 2019 movie release guide.