Robbie Williams goes ape in bananas trailer for unconventional biopic ‘Better Man’ [Watch]
“Monkey Man” was already taken as a title, so Robbie Williams’ unconventional biopic is called “Better Man.” Just kidding, it’s named after his 2000 single — but he is a monkey man in the film, as the new trailer makes clear.
“Better Man,” which opens in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day, is a “satirical biopic” in which the British pop superstar is depicted as a chimpanzee. Why? Because it’s “an extraordinary journey that can’t be told in an ordinary way,” according to Paramount, which is distributing the film in the U.S. Jonno Davies (“Hunters”) performs the motion capture for the ape-man, while Williams provides his voice. The film is directed by Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman”) and written by Gracey, Oliver Cole, and Simon Gleeson. The monkey VFX were provided by Weta, the same company that does the “Planet of the Apes” films.
“‘Better Man’ is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time,” per Paramount. “Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Robbie’s perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.”
Robbie Williams is one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, with 75 million records sold worldwide. He has had 13 No. 1 albums and seven No. 1 singles in Great Britain, and has won a record 18 Brit Awards. A case could be made for him being the world’s biggest Anglophone artist who is not popular in America. Perhaps this movie will change that?
The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and received positive reviews from critics who saw it there. It currently has an 86% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. There’s a chance a new song Williams composed for the film, “Forbidden Road,” could compete for a Best Original Song nomination at the Academy Awards.
“Better Man” opens in limited U.S. release on Dec. 25, followed by a wide release on Jan. 17.