Elton John Hopeful Justin Timberlake Will Play Him in Upcoming Film

Sir Elton John hopes Justin Timberlake will be bringing memories back in a new film about the legendary rocker’s life.

In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, the 64-year-old singer of discussed plans for an upcoming biopic, produced by John and Toronto-born partner David Furnish, including his choice for who would play him in the film.

“Number one on my wish list is Justin Timberlake,” John told the Los Angeles Times “because he played me before in a David LaChapelle video of “Rocket Man” and was superb.”

The “Rocket Man” montage was put together using footage from the LaChapelle-directed video for “This Train Don’t Stop Here Anymore,” a single from John’s 2001 album Songs From the West Coast. The video features Timberlake as a young, 1970s-era Elton, complete with a flamboyant striped suit and trademark platform boots, meeting with friends and fans backstage at a show while secretly suffering from the burdens his fame imposes on him. When in full costume and make-up, the former ‘N Sync star bears a striking resemblance to the rock icon.

If John gets his way Timberlake would make a convincing “Rocket Man.” The pop star proved he could handle dramatic roles in films such as the 2010 hit The Social Network, which would come in handy for portraying John’s tormented personal life that included drug and alcohol abuse, a suicide attempt, the loss of numerous friends to the then-unfamiliar AIDS virus, a failed marriage, and struggles coming to terms with his sexuality.

While details of the biopic are still being worked out, John did note that British scribe Lee Hall, who has written or co-written films such as War Horse and Billy Elliot, wrote the script. As far as the director and details about the film – which will cover the singer’s early years up to a 1990 rehab stint – John said an announcement would be made very soon.

“It’s going to be a surreal look at my life, and not just a factual look at my life, more in the manner of a Moulin Rouge!” John said in the interview. “I just don’t want it to be a normal biopic because my life hasn’t been like that.”

-Mike Crisolago