Robbie Williams has revealed his plans for a sequel to biographical musical Better Man – despite the film tanking in the US.
On paper, the film is familiar biopic material, charting the popstar’s rise to fame, and subsequent struggles with addiction, poor mental health, and subsequent career resurgence.
This is no ordinary biopic though – with Robbie, 50, portrayed as a CGI monkey throughout. Robbie himself provides voice work in the film, while actor Jonno Davies donned a mocap outfit to make a monkey of the Rock DJ star.
He may be a bona fide music icon in the UK, but audiences stateside have been less receptive – with Robbie being more or less unknown across the pond.
This is reflected in the film’s disappointing box office abroad, earning just $1.1million (£908k) in the US so far. This is particularly disappointing, given that it was produced independently for around $110m (£90.8m).
However, that hasn’t dampened any of Robbie’s enthusiasm for a sequel.
Speaking to Australian DJ Sean Brown, Robbie said: ‘There is so much that didn’t make the movie.
‘Only because we couldn’t fit it in – not because I was too embarrassed or ashamed to put it in… many stories. It would have had to be a five-hour film to fit everything in.
‘And hopefully it does good and there is a ‘Better Man 2,’ he added optimistically.
The film may have disappointed financially, but those who have seen it are reacting more favourably – with the film scoring 88% on Rotten Tomatoes with reviews from 180 critics so far.
Metro’s own Senior Film Reporter Tori Brazier gave Better Man 4.5 stars, praising the ‘unflinching writing’ and describing it as suitably ‘bananas.’
The film also boasts a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with viewers describing it as ‘heartwarming,’ ‘raw,’ and ‘honest’ – including those who didn’t even know who Robbie was in the first place.
Director Michael Gracey – who directed The Greatest Showman in 2017 – explained his reasoning behind turning Robbie Williams into an ape.
‘He literally sees himself as a performing monkey,’ he told Deadline, back in August. ‘And I thought, “That would be amazing; I would love to see that film”.’
Meanwhile, actor Jonno Davies explained to Metro the intricacies of donning a motion capture suit to play Robbie Williams.
‘It’s not particularly flattering,’ he laughed of his ludicrous on-set look.
On getting to know the man behind such hits as Angels, Let Me Entertain You and Rudebox, Jonno said: ‘It’s so well documented in one avenue of his life, [but] you don’t actually get to see the person so much the way that the press has pictured him.
‘I had so many questions, and he was very giving and gave me lots of answers, and that helped create a much more rounded performance.’
Better Man is out in UK cinemas now.
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