We were scratching our heads over who we thought would best portray The Rocket Man himself, Sir Elton John, in his forthcoming biopic, Rocketman.
To be honest, Tom Hardy wasn't a name to enter our realm of possibilities, but now that he's been cast, we can't see any reason why he'd not totally nail it. Just take a look at his back catalogue, he is of that rare thespian breed, in that he is very chameleonic; he can do anything and he's sure got the physicality to morph in and out of roles. The staggering contrast between his roles as The Dark Knight Rises' Bane and his Wuthering Heights offering is just one example of his unique versatility.
But this is a musical film, of course. Will he sing too or will Elton's voice be dubbed over?
Commenting on the news, Rocket Pictures CEO Steve Hamilton Shaw said: "Tom is a stellar talent who will add extraordinary depth and nuance in bringing Elton's story to life. We are excited to have such a gifted actor on board, and equally excited to be in the hands of Peter Schlessel and the entire Focus Features team."
Meanwhile, Focus Features CEO Peter Schlessel threw in his own two cents: "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... 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."
Certainly excited to see what comes of this one.