Paramount Pictures has released the first trailer for Better Man, the upcoming Robbie Williams biopic which features the pop icon played but a……CGI monkey? Yes, you’ve read that right!

Directed by The Greatest Showman‘s Michael Gracey, the film is written by Gracey, Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole.

What is the film ‘Better Man’ about?

Here’s the official description:

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Williams’ perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

Who stars in ‘Better Man’?

The film stars Williams (as the voice of his singing voice), Jonno Davies (voice of the Williams as well as the motion-capture), Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes.

The pic’s producers are Gracey, Paul Currie, Coco Xiaolu Ma, Jules Daly and Craig McMahon.

Executive producers for the film include Zhe Chen, Robbie Williams, Markus Barmettler,Philip Lee, Li-Wei Chu, Michael Loney, Thorsten Schumacher, Lars Sylvest, Mark Williams, Gregory Jankilevitsch, Klaudia Smieja, David Ravel, Domenic Benvenuto, Gianni Benvenuto, Zoran Stojkovic, Dean Hood, David Conley, Daniel Fluri, Adrian Grabe, Andres Kernen, Slava Vladimirov, Jared Underwood and Andrew Robinson.

Why is Robbie Williams played by a monkey in ‘Better Man’?

In an interview earlier this year, Gracey told Vanity Fair, “”To see himself as a performing monkey wasn’t just whilst he was famous — it was his whole life. He was always putting on a performance at [his hometown] Stoke for the other kids, at home for his parents. And it made it so powerful for me because I was like, You’re going to fall in love with this character, this little monkey. And you’re going to invest emotionally in this little monkey. As long as you set that contract at the start of the film, you’re in, and you will go with that monkey through the entire journey.”

When does the film hit theaters?

The film is in U.S. select theaters on Dec. 25 and has its full release on Jan. 17, 2025.

Watch the trailer below:

Better Man

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