After much controversy, Rocketman, Paramount’s Elton John biopic, will be keeping a gay sex scene between Taron Egerton’s Elton, and Richard Madden, who plays the singer’s former manager, John Reid. [via THR]
Director Dexter Fletcher is putting the finishing touches on the film which set to be released in the U.K. on May 24, and the U.S. the week after.
Earlier today it was reported that Paramount were pressuring Fletcher to cut out a gay sex scene from the movie, which prompted Fletcher to tweet, “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. Dx x.”
The decision to keep the sex scene and stick with the R rating is ballsy, considering “Bohemian Rhapsody” took advantage of its PG-13 rating to nab close to $1 billion worldwide. I would consider “Rocketman” an immense success if it made even half of what ‘Rhapsody’ did. “Deadpool 2” holds the record for highest grossing R-rated movie worldwide with a $785 million in receipts.
Coppola lost more than $100M on "Megalopolis," got hammered for it, and he knows the clock is running out for one more film. If "Glimpses of the Moon" is that film, someone needs to write the check soon.