Watch the surreal ‘Better Man’ trailer

“Better Man” by the director of “The Greatest Showman” in selected cinemas from December 25, and then nationwide from January 17

Robbie Williams’ upcoming biopic has an unusual twist.

In the first trailer A better manThe 50-year-old pop star is visually portrayed as an ape by actor Jonno Davies in director Michael Gracey’s film (The Greatest Showman) tell the story of Williams’ life. Davies, 32, performed the role’s required motion capture and voice of the character, while Williams sings himself in the upcoming musical.

A better man “It is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall and extraordinary resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest artists of all time,” reads the synopsis.

The synopsis states that the film “is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his trademark wit and steadfastness.”

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“It tells Robbie’s story from childhood, through being the youngest member of chart-topping boy band Take That, to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all while facing the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.” – adds the summary.

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“Seeing himself as a performing monkey wasn’t just when he was famous – it was his whole life,” said director Gracey Vanity fairthe decision to imagine Williams as an ape in an August interview shortly after the film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.

“He was always doing shows in (his hometown) Stoke for other kids and at home for his parents. That was so important to me because I thought, “You’re going to fall in love with this character, this little monkey. You will become emotionally invested in this little monkey. If you sign the contract at the beginning of the movie, you agree to this and you will accompany this monkey throughout the journey.”

Related: Robbie Williams Says He’s Taking ‘Something Like Ozempic’: ‘It’s Like a Christmas Miracle’

The new film will be director Gracey’s first film since his 2021 documentary Pink P!nk: Everything I know so far. In addition, in 2017 The Greatest Showmanhe is also known for directing music videos for Pink and musicians such as Natasha Bedingfield and Alesha Dixon.

In addition to Davies in a CGI role, A better man also stars Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes.

A better man in selected cinemas from December 25, and from January 17 throughout the country.

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