First Look at Johnny Flynn as David Bowie in Upcoming Film Stardust
Johnny Flynn is a starman waiting in the sky!
Salon Pictures released the first image of actor as David Bowie in the upcoming film about the legendary singer, Stardust.
In the photo, Flynn, who previously starred in the drama Beast, glances at the camera while looking quite reminiscent of a 24-year-old Bowie.
The movie — described as an “origins story” by film producers, according to Variety — is set in 1971 and tells the tale of Bowie’s first road trip to America, which inspired his legendary Ziggy Stardust persona.
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The film was first announced in January and soon drew the ire of Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, who revealed the film did not have the rights to any of his father’s music.
“Pretty certain nobody has been granted music rights for ANY biopic… I would know,” he tweeted in response to a Hollywood Reporter article.
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Im not saying this movie is not happening. I honestly wouldn't know.
Im saying that as it stands, this movie won't have any of dads music in it, & I can't imagine that changing. If you want to see a biopic without his music or the families blessing, thats up to the audience.— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 31, 2019
Jones later added, “I’m not saying this movie is not happening. I honestly wouldn’t know. I’m saying that as it stands, this movie won’t have any of dad’s music in it, & I can’t imagine that changing. If you want to see a biopic without his music or the families blessing, that’s up to the audience.”
Producers then clarified the movie was not a biopic, and that they would be using “period music” rather than Bowie’s “original tracks.”
“It is a moment in time film at a turning point in David’s life, and is not reliant on Bowie’s music,” Salon Pictures said in a statement to Variety. “Much like ‘Nowhere Boy’ for Lennon, or ‘Control’ for Joy Division, the production uses period music and songs that Bowie covered, but not his original tracks.”
Jenna Malone will co-star with Flynn as Bowie’s wife Angela Bowie, and Marc Maron is set to play his publicist.
Bowie, born David Robert Jones, died on Jan. 10, 2016 — just two days after his 69th birthday — after an 18-month battle with liver cancer. He is survived by his 19-year-old daughter, Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra with widow Iman, and his 48-year-old son Duncan Jones, from his first marriage to Angela.
