Tom Hardy has been cast in the role of Elton John in the upcoming film called Rocketman. While it seems a bit soon to make a film about the man who is still making music, Hardy is the one who has been chosen with the honor of portraying the pop icon.

Hardy, who was most recently seen in the role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, has never been seen a role like this before. He will certainly have to significantly alter his appearance for the role, after bulking up to play the tough-looking Bane. His other notable films include Lawless and Warrior, a film where his co-star Nick Nolte was nominated for an Oscar.

Rocketman will be directed by Michael Grace, with a screenplay from Lee Hall, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on War Horse. The film is described as a movie musical spectacle, and will focus on John’s life story from child prodigy to musical superstar.

Tom Hardy as Elton John goes right to the top of my list of must-see movies. So is that Olde Focus or Hipster Focus?

— David Poland (@DavidPoland) October 23, 2013

Tom Hardy portraying Elton John is an interesting casting choice to say the least. In defending the selection of Tom Hardy, Peter Schlessel, the CEO of Focus Features, said “We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton. This, in conjunction with the creative team led by Michael and Rocket Pictures, will provide the foundation for something that will be a unique cinematic event.”

Tom Hardy is a brilliant actor, but he is 3rd in the list of people you'd least expect to play Elton John – after Samuel Jackson and a tree

— Daniel Sloss (@Daniel_Sloss) October 24, 2013

John is also set to re-recorded a number of his hit songs to align with the emotional beats of the film. Elton John, in addition to the song “Rocket Man” where the film gets its name, is known for such hits as “Bennie And The Jets” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

In addition to the new Elton John biopic, Hardy is set to star in the Mad Max reboot, titled Mad Max: Fury Road.

The thought of Tom Hardy playing Elton John in a film never ceases to make me laugh

— victoria rodrigues (@stoneflamingos) October 24, 2013

Tom Hardy to play Elton John…am I missing something

— James Morris (@JamesjimMorris) October 24, 2013

The film is scheduled to begin shooting in the fall of 2014. The selection of Tom Hardy as Elton John is a surprise to many who were hoping for Justin Timberlake in the role, and even Elton himself had Timberlake high on his wish list for potential actors.

Image via Youtube