Rocketman star Taron Egerton has reiterated earlier sentiments that he does not want the film’s gay content censored, even if that means a lower box office haul.
Egerton, who had a breakout as the lead in the Kingsman film series, had previously said that the upcoming biopic in which he plays gay rock star Elton John would deal with the singer’s sexuality in a frank way. In a new interview, he’s doubled down on that sentiment, insisting that the film not undergo cuts to tone down the content.
“That’s why I made the film,” Egerton says when asked about graphic content in Rocketman, including explicit scenes of gay sex. “Those scenes are desperately important when you have an icon of that magnitude, who means so much to one community.”
Related: Call off the riots! ‘Rocketman’ will NOT undergo cuts to gay sex scenes
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Egerton’s comments come, in part, as a reference to the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, the biopic of bisexual singer Freddie Mercury, undergoing heavy edits for the Chinese market. Earlier this year, rumors circulated that Rocketman would have similar cuts, both to soften the rating in the US from R to PG-13 and to appeal to foreign distributors. The actor insists that those rumors are false. “It’s a studio movie,” he notes. “It’s Elton John. We’ve got to own that. I don’t care how well the film does in Russia. It doesn’t matter. It can’t matter. What’s an extra $25 million at the box office? What are you willing to do for that? Sacrifice sleeping at night because you watered the whole thing down?”
Producer David Furnish, the husband of Elton John, echoed Egerton’s comments. “International cinema is complicated and sadly the world isn’t a homogenous place,” Funish said. “I heard Bohemian Rhapsody is going to China with any reference to Freddie being gay taken out of it. Well, you can’t do that with our film, I’ll tell you that. It’s integral to Elton’s journey as an individual and as an artist. I would strongly resist any sanitisation. The world continues to need to evolve and grow in the right direction. As it goes into that international distribution and marketing machine, you just have to do your best to preserve the integrity.”
The comments by Egerton and Furnish seem to support earlier studio denials that Rocketman would get trimmed for content. The movie opens in theatres this May.
Mick406
Headline tease with nothing in the story connected. No pictures, no reasoning about the subject.
mountainmaat
AGREE. Happens every day.
wordsmith
The simple answer – requiring the courage of one’s convictions – is to simply state that you [insert market with cultural or political objection to select content] may license the film for exhibition “as is” or you may exercise your right inalienable to not license the film.
mountainmaat
That and they remove negative comments 😉
DCguy
Frankly the fact that Queen is LETTING Bohemian Rhapsody go to China with all references to Freddy Mercury being gay taken out shows that the sanitation of the movie called out by Sasha Baron Cohen and how Queen was trying to Neuter Mercury was right on the money.
PugsBuddy
Well, bless his thirsty heart, I’d like nothing more than to see him nekkid.
mike_TNYC
Don’t get your hopes up. The boy toy shown in the lead is not Edgerton.
the illuminati
Mike_TNYC, of course it is *Egerton* it’s a scene from his first major role in Kingsman, who did you think it was a picture of?
startenout
If they leave it ALL in, I’ll buy that Blu-Ray!
MISTERJETT
i’ll pass
nitejonboy
I’m dying to see that boy Nekkid,I’ve loved him for years.