Sir Elton John will be immortalised in forthcoming film Rocketman, which will chart his early rise to stardom through to his recovery from drug and alcohol addiction in the 1990s.

And now, Paramount Pictures has dated the film – which is NOT a biopic – for May 17, 2019.

Kingsman actor Taron Egerton will be playing Sir Elton in the movie, which takes aspects and songs from his life.

Egerton confirmed earlier this year that Rocketman is NOT a biopic, explaining: "We are making a movie called Rocketman about Elton John's formative years. Everyone thinks it's a biopic. It isn't.

"It's a fantasy musical so it's actually his songs used to express important beats in his life at emotional moments. He's not the only character that sings. It's going to be fun."

David M Benett Getty Images

And, according to the movie's producer and Elton's husband David Furnish, the man himself was "blown away" by Egerton's take when he heard three songs he recorded recently at Abbey Road Studios.

"When I played the songs for Elton, he was blown away, really blown away," he said. "Elton was like, 'It can't get any better for me.'"

Furnish added: "The rehab recovery moment was a real watershed moment in his life, and it's a great way to focus the storytelling around that.

"Elton has told Taron, 'Don't copy me. Don't think you have to sing it exactly the way that I sang it. Don't think you have to perform it the way I performed it.'

"I think it's the challenge for the actor to embody the spirit and not get into thinking they have to do an impersonation."

Rocketman hits cinemas on May 17, 2019.

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