First look at Vanity Fair star as David Bowie in new biopic

Photo credit: BBC/72 Films/Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
Photo credit: BBC/72 Films/Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

From Digital Spy

The first look at an upcoming David Bowie biopic flashes back to the Thin White Duke's 'golden years'.

The new film Stardust will feature Vanity Fair and Les Misérables actor Johnny Flynn as Bowie at a pivotal point in his career, when he was on the precipice of becoming a glam rock icon.

Photo credit: Film Constellation
Photo credit: Film Constellation

Stardust is set on an American road trip that 24-year-old Bowie takes with his small-time publicist Ron Oberman (GLOW's Marc Maron) in 1971.

The experience will reshape Bowie's vision of his music and inspire the creation of his iconic glam rock alter-ego Ziggy Stardust one year later.

Along with Flynn and Maron, Stardust features The Hunger Games' Jena Malone as David's then-wife (and future iconic Celebrity Big Brother housemate) Angie Bowie.

Gabriel Range, creator of Channel 4's infamous faux-documentary Death of a President, directs Stardust from a screenplay by Christopher Bell (The Last Czars).

Photo credit: Jim Spellman / Contributor - Getty Images
Photo credit: Jim Spellman / Contributor - Getty Images

The biopic is not without controversy, having been criticised by Bowie's son – the filmmaker Duncan Jones – when it was announced earlier this year.

Jones told his Twitter followers that he had not authorised the biopic, nor would it feature any of the singer's legendary music.

"If you want to see a biopic without his music or the families blessing, thats up to the audience (sic)," he wrote at the time.

Photo credit: Michael Ochs Archives - Getty Images
Photo credit: Michael Ochs Archives - Getty Images

Another Bowie project was announced earlier this month, this time a TV series sequel to his classic science fiction movie The Man Who Fell to Earth from Star Trek: Discovery creator Alex Kurtzman.

Stardust is coming to cinemas worldwide.


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