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‘Better Man’ Trailer: Robbie Williams Biopic Uses a Singing Monkey as Main Character in ‘Greatest Showman’ Director’s New Musical Movie

By
Jordan Moreau
Robbie Williams Better Man film details
Courtesy of Better Man Productions/ Ben King Photography

Robbie Williams fans will go bananas over the trailer for “Better Man” — literally.

Paramount released the first trailer for the musical biopic from Michael Gracey, director of “The Greatest Showman,” which uses a CGI monkey as a stand-in for the British pop singer. Yes, really.

“I know what you’re thinking. What’s with the monkey? I’m Robbie Williams. I’m one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But I’ve always seen myself a little less evolved,” Williams narrates in the trailer. The first look at the musical film appears to be like any other musical biopic about a superstar, but every scene with Williams replaces him with a “Planet of the Apes”-like monkey double.

The trailer shows Williams’ early life growing up and playing soccer, where he’s shown as a monkey wearing clothes. It then gives a highlight reel of Williams performing on stage to packed crowds of screaming fangs, but he’s a screeching ape bearing his tongue and oversized teeth.

Here’s the official logline: “‘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.”

The cast includes Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge and Anthony Hayes. Jonno Davies plays the monkey version of Williams.

“Better Man” was written by Gracey, Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole. Executive producers are Williams, Zhe Chen, 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.

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