Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher worked on Bohemian Rhapsody for practice
Elton John biopic Rocketman (YouTube)
Director Dexter Fletcher has revealed that he took over directing duties from Bryan Singer on Bohemian Rhapsody so he could practice for Rocketman.
Fletcher—who directed the Elton John biopic which is due for release later this month—took over directing the Freddie Mercury biopic on the recommendation of Rocketman producer Matthew Vaughn, according to ScreenDaily.com.
Vaughn recommended Fletcher so he could find out “how to do it” while working “on their dime.” He thought the experience would be helpful as both films were rock-star biopics.
Dexter Fletcher said Bohemian Rhapsody allowed him to get his ‘toe in the water’ ahead of Rocketman
Fletcher said working on Bohemian Rhapsody was “an incredible opportunity as a relatively new director” and said it gave him a chance to get his “toe in the water.”
“It was a good boot camp—same period, the costume designer [Julian Day] was the same,” Fletcher told ScreenDaily.com. “It was like, ‘OK, go do this, get your feet wet, get yourself ready’—which it did, it got me match ready.”
Bryan Singer was sacked as director of Bohemian Rhapsody in December 2017, just two weeks before filming wrapped, after allegations of erratic behaviour and absences from set. Singer has also been accused of sexual misconduct by eight men—all of which he denies.
“It was like, ‘OK, go do this, get your feet wet, get yourself ready’—which it did, it got me match ready.”
– Dexter Fletcher, Rocketman director
Despite the fact that he was sacked from the film, he retained the sole directing credit. In January, The Hollywood Reporter estimated that he was set to earn $40 million on the back of the film’s success.
Rocketman (YouTube)
Bohemian Rhapsody went on to win four Oscars at the Academy Awards this year.
Rocketman will be released later this month
Meanwhile, Fletcher’s Rocketman is set to be released on May 17 and will tell the story of Elton John’s rise to fame in the 1970s.
Fletcher blasted rumours last month that a gay sex scene was going to be censored from the film to lower its age rating.
Taking to Twitter on Friday (March 22), Dexter Fletcher wrote: “Seeing much speculation about ROCKETMAN!! That’s good! It’s still unfinished so it’s nothing but rumors.
“It has and always will be the no holds barred, musical fantasy that Paramount and producers passionately support and believe in. See for yourself May 24.”
Meanwhile, Rocketman star Taron Egerton—who plays Elton John in the film—said he hopes that the “pretty explicit” sex scenes don’t get cut from the film.
In an interview with GQ, he said: “That’s why I made the film.
“Those scenes are desperately important when you have an icon of that magnitude, who means so much to one community.”
