Robbie Williams biopic in the works from The Greatest Showman director: ‘The approach is top secret’

Director Michael Gracey wants to represent the pop star’s story ‘in its harsh reality all the way to these moments of pure fantasy’

Robbie Williams will be the subject of a new biopic from The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey, it has been reported.

According to Deadline, Gracey will tell the coming-of-age story of Williams, who first rose to fame aged 16 as a singer with boyband Take That and then as a solo artist.

The publication said it was “clear the filmmaker is planning something exceptional here”.

Gracey wrote the script with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson, both of whom are making their screenwriting debuts.

The film idea came from hours’ worth of conversation with Williams, which began after The Greatest Showman was released.

“As for how we represent Robbie in the film, that bit is top secret,” Gracey said. “I want to do this in a really original way. I remember going to the cinema as a kid and there were films that blew me away and made me say as I sat there in the cinema, ‘I’ve never seen this before.’

“I just want the audience to have that feeling. It’s so important when they watch this story, and look at the screen, that they literally think, I’ve never seen this before. All I can say is the approach is top secret, but the goal is to generate that feeling I just described. It’s this fantastical story, and I want to represent it in its harsh reality all the way to these moments of pure fantasy.”

It sounds possible, then, that the film will differ at least slightly from the numerous other musician biopics to be released in recent years, including Rocketman, about Elton John, and Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury).

Williams will apparently re-record his hit songs, which include “Angels”, “Feel” and “Rock DJ”, to be featured in the film.

Gracey said he was drawn to Williams’ story because he did not grow up as a prodigy or musical genius.

Production is expected to begin this summer.