Tom Hardy to play Sir Elton John in biopic

                           

Briton lives up to his reputation as the most versatile actor in Hollywood

As the villain Bane he was the epitome of Gothic menace in the final installment of Christopher Nolan’s brooding Batman trilogy, and had cinema audiences cowering behind their seats.

And now, befitting his reputation as the most versatile actor on the Hollywood block, Tom Hardy is due to play the polar opposite when he dons Elton John’s rocketman outfits in a biopic of the flamboyant star.

The film will follow the singer’s journey from piano prodigy to global superstar and counts Sir Elton’s partner David Furnish among its producers. It is based on a screenplay by the writer of War Horse, Lee Hall.

Michael Gracey, the man behind a series of US TV adverts and a Jim Henson biopic called The Muppet Man is set to direct the tale of the man born Reg Dwight, but now known by millions as just Sir Elton. The film will be radically different to the last mainstream film charting a star’s life. Bob Dylan had a total of six actors interpret different aspects of his life, including one woman – Cate Blanchett – in 2007's I'm Not There.

“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,” Peter Schlessel, the head of Universal and co-executive producer, told Variety.

He added: “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.”

After the Hardy’s break out role in the The Dark Knight Rises he will next be seen in Steve Knight’s Locke and in the rebooted Mad Max franchise.

Source: independent.co.uk

Ben Foster and Chris O'Dowd to star in Lance Armstrong biopic

Ben Foster will star as the disgraced cyclist Lance Armstong opposite Chris O'Dowd in Stephen Frears's forthcoming biopic

Chris O'Dowd has joined the cast for Stephen Frears’s as-yet-untitled biopic toplining Ben Foster as American cyclist Lance Armstrong,Deadline has confirmed.

The Irish actor, whose stock in Hollywood has soared following roles in Bridesmaids and TV comedy Girls, will play Sunday Times sports journalist David Walsh opposite Foster (3:10 to Yuma, X Men: the Last Stand). Guillaume Canet (Tell No One) and Breaking Bad actor Jesse Plemons will also have key supporting roles.

Written by regular Danny Boyle collaborator John Hodge and based on Walsh’s book, Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong, the film will chronicle the period from Armstrong's testicular cancer diagnosis in the mid-Nineties to the revelations last year over his use of performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong was stripped of his seven consecutive Tour de France titles in October 2012, after a lengthy investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Walsh was instrumental in his downfall, campaigning vociferously for 13 years to expose the doping rife within the sport.

The film marks the fourth collaboration between British-based film production company Working Title and StudioCanal – they previously linked up on Tomas Alfredson’s Oscar-nominated Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, I Give It a Year and The Two Faces of January, starring Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortensen which is now in production.

Paramount Pictures and JJ Abrams's production company are working on a competing film based on the book Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong by sportswriter Juliet Macur. Warner Bros, meanwhile, are also planning to make a film about the cyclist, with Bradley Cooper in talks to play the lead.

Source:   telegraph.co.uk