8 Best Movies About Elton John

Elton John, born March 25, 1947, is one of today’s larger-than-life living musical legends. Hailing from Pinner, Middlesex, England, he gained explosive popularity with his first big hit single, “Your Song,” from the album “Empty Sky.” Elton John is many things: a father, husband, composer extraordinaire, and entertainment megastar to his millions of adoring fans. It is no surprise that the icon has inspired a large array of documentaries and films.

Die-hard fans will be most impressed by his collectible concert DVDs, while documentary aficionados will appreciate the numerous projects that recount the history behind his storied career, and analyze Elton’s place in the music landscape. Musicians are also a popular topic for film, as evidenced by the great anticipation surrounding the Christmas Day 2025 release of Timothée Chalamet’s A Complete Unknown about guitarist Bob Dylan.

Everyone from casual observers to devoted megafans will enjoy diving into one of these top-screen productions about Elton John.

8

‘Elton John: Never Too Late’ (2024)

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Elton John: Never Too Late

Release Date

November 15, 2024

Runtime

102 minutes

Cast

Elton John

Never Too Late, which premiered September 6, 2024 at the Toronto International Film Festival, is now available for streaming on Disney+. The documentary features scenes from what is being touted as John’s “goodbye” tour, which he named “Farewell Yellow Brick Road.” The tour is a grand celebration of John’s storied career, and the presence of a crew to document the historic moments was an obvious necessity.

The Documentary Speaks for Itself

An interesting trivia fact is that the film was originally planned to be titled Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years That Made His Legend, before the lengthy moniker was eschewed in favor of the much shorter and straight-forward one that stuck. The simplicity of the final title is much more fitting, and signifies the fact that Elton John’s legendary greatness speaks for itself.

7

‘If These Walls Could Sing’ (2023)

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If These Walls Could Sing

Release Date

January 6, 2023

Runtime

86 minutes

Cast

Mary McCartney
, Paul McCartney
, Ringo Starr
, Noel Gallagher
, Liam Gallagher
, Elton John
, Giles Martin
, John Williams
, George Lucas
, Nile Rodgers
, Cliff Richard
, Roger Waters
, David Gilmour
, Jimmy Page
, Celeste
, Sheku Kanneh-Mason
, Lekan Animashaun
, Tony Hicks
, Bobby Elliott
, John Lennon
, George Harrison
, Linda McCartney
, George Martin
, Ye West
, John Legend

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Just like the famous Music Row in Nashville, TN, London also has its own famous recording location known as Abbey Road. Located there is Abbey Road Studios, an iconic landmark known for hosting the recording sessions of superstars such as Elton John, as well as the Beatles, whose eleventh album is named after it. Elton John recorded there beginning in the ’60s, prior to adopting his world-renowned stage name, when he was known as “Reg Dwight.” If These Walls Could Sing tells the story of the studio, giving unprecedented behind-the-scenes views.

A Famous Director

The documentary film is directed by Mary McCartney, daughter of Beatles member Paul McCartney who delighted the younger generation by collaborating with Rihanna and Kanye West on the 2015 song “FourFiveSeconds.” The film is critically acclaimed for good reason. Even though there is a heavy focus on the Beatles, all fans will be able to enjoy the rundown of the enchanting location’s evolution and history.

6

‘Rocketman’ (2019)

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Release Date

May 31, 2019

Runtime

121 Minutes

Rocketman is a dazzling 2019 feature film about the personal and career journeys of the larger-than-life musical star. It was a smashing success upon its theatrical release, grossing $195 million against its $40 million budget. Welsh actor Taron Egerton stars as Elton John, bringing the celebrity’s colorful story to life. Director Dexter Fletcher arranged the tale to be told through music, and the film is filled with riveting performances that jump off the screen.

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‘Rocketman’ Shows Elton John’s Ups and Downs

The movie, punctuated by Egerton’s charismatic style, wonderfully relays both the soaring heights and crashing depths of Elton John’s career. From his ill-fated marriage to Renate Blauel, to his tumultuous drug addiction, the rough moments are starkly explored. Plenty of joyous moments also play out onscreen, such as when Elton bursts onto the stage in his flamboyantly grand parrot suit. The film has been called one of the best biopics on a musician, and praised for its delightful campiness and skillful incorporation of Elton’s greatest hits.

5

‘Elton John: Music Man’ (2016)

The 2016 documentary Music Man, one of many films that chronicle his career, is distinguishable for its special emphasis on Elton’s numerous accolades. Among the powerhouse’s many prizes are five Grammy awards and 33 records that have been certified platinum or better. The film focuses on the numerous records he has smashed to demonstrate exactly why he has cemented his place among the world’s most influential musicians of all time.

‘Music Man’ Break Down Why Elton John is Indisputably On Top

Viewers had great appreciation for director Billy Simpon’s effort to catalog the highest points of Elton’s shining career. Listeners will notice that the work’s title is smartly drawn from the lyric “You’ll marry a music man,” in his smash hit song “Tiny Dancer.” The movie’s IMBD blurb describes it as “cerebral, edifying, and inspiring,” and all of those adjectives ring true in this thorough deep-dive of Elton’s accomplishments.

4

‘Elton John: A Life in Song’ (2020)

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Elton John: A Life in Song

Release Date

September 1, 2020

Runtime

55 minutes

Cast

Elton John

Director Billy Simpson artfully weaves historical footage with biographical facts in this documentary about Elton John’s career and legacy. The project focuses on the beginning of Elton’s career, when he was in the band Bluesology, before rocketing to solo superstardom. It also zeroes in on the way meeting lyricist Bernie Taupin changed the trajectory of Elton John’s career and sent him on a path to success, as Taupin’s writing perfectly complemented Elton’s musical composition.

Rocketman Is Born

While Elton John also known as “Rocketman,” is a famous name heard around the world, casual observers might not realize the musician used to be known by his birth name, Reginald Dwight. The documentary resoundingly displays how his name change to Elton Hercules John was symbolic of a career metamorphosis, as Elton rose to new heights with the new stage name that helped him take the world by storm.

3

‘Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye Norma Jean and Other Things’ (1973)

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Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye Norma Jean and Other Things

Release Date

December 4, 1973

Runtime

63 minutes

Cast

Elton John
, Bernie Taupin
, Davey Johnstone
, Dee Murray
, Nigel Olsson
, Sheila Farebrother
, Gus Dudgeon
, Steven James
, Dick James
, Maxine Feibelman
, Bryan Forbes
, David Hentschel
, John Reid

While there are plenty of modern documentaries spotlighting Elton John’s illustrious career, fans interested in material that details his earlier days should look no further than to this 1973 documentary that recounts the creation of the album “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” The phrase “goodbye Norma Jean” is a reference to Marilyn Monroe, who, like Elton John, was given a plainer name at birth before changing it to something befitting a superstar.

A Shoutout to ‘Candle In the Wind’

The signficance of the documentary’s title is essentially that Elton and his lyricist, Bernie Taupin, were saying goodbye to “Norma Jean” (Marilyn Monroe) in a song that was originally inspired by the platinum-haired bombshell, before it came to more closely associated with Princess Diana after her sudden, shocking death. Several productions acknowledge Bernie Taupin’s instrumental part in Elton’s success, but this project gives him the most focus.

2

‘Born to Boogie’ (1973)

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Marc Bolan & T. Rex – Born to Boogie

Release Date

April 15, 1973

Runtime

196 minutes

Cast

Elton John
, Marc Bolan
, Ringo Starr
, Gloria Jones

Throwing it back to the old school, we have Born to Boogie, a musical documentary released in 1972. The British film chronicles a concert at the Empire Pool, a swimming arena that was filled in to become a legendary concert venue. A 25-year-old Elton John, still in the early stages of his career at the time, is featured alongside Marc Bolan of T. Rex, former Beatles member Ringo Starr, and Mickey Finn, a T. Rex percussionist. Jam footage is also included in the musical celebration.

Refreshingly Unfiltered

While one Rotten Tomatoes audience reviewer called the film “shoddily” made, it was applauded by others for showing “raw Rock n Roll.” The nostalgic film is a can’t-miss for fans of Elton John, who is featured collaborating with Tutti Frutti in one noteable scene. A standout tea party sequence is frequently cited as the greatest highlight of the movie, which uniquely combines concert footage with staged scenes for a fun result.

1

‘Elton John: Becoming Rocketman’ (2019)

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Elton John: Becoming Rocketman

Release Date

May 28, 2019

Runtime

58 minutes

Cast

David Furnish
, Elton John
, Sid Griffin
, Ashley Pearson

Released the same year as Rocketman, this documentary focuses on how Elton John transformed from his quieter, more reserved young self into his extroverted stage persona, and what went into crafting the genuine, but expertly curated, musical personality of stardom. The project also highlights Elton’s camaraderie with Bernie Taupin, the renowned English who wrote the words to many of Elton’s hit songs. It also shows scenes from his celebrational final tour to cap off his astounding career.

A Mesmerizing Look Into Elton John’s Surreal Reality

Elton John: Becoming Rocketman was the exclamation point to a year in which the megastar dominated entertainment headlines, as he was also the subject of a biopic and a farewell tour, all in 2019. Entertainment analysts are constantly trying to pin down what exactly makes a star, and this film offers some of the puzzle pieces. While some viewers argued that there was too much rehashing of previously seen footage, the extensive coverage of Elton’s life and career serves as a revealing testament to his elusive it factor.