In an upcoming planned biopic looking at the life of legendary British singer and songwriter Elton John, British actor Tom Hardy has reportedly been cast as the 'Rocketman' himself. The film will follow Reginald Dwight, AKA Elton, in his journey from his beginnings as a child piano prodigy through to his global conquering superstardom and fame.

Elton John
Elton John's Story Set To Be Immortalised In A Biopic.

Set to start shooting in late 2014, the movie will be written by Lee Hall who wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay Billy Elliot and was involved in the production of the recent War Horse film. Hardy's is a most unconventional casting: the actor clearly has proven acting talent but has appeared as tough-guy characters in most of his film appearances; the most notable of which was baddie Bane in last year's The Dark Knight Rises.

Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy May Look Nothing Like Elton, But He Has Been Cast.

The biopic, currently entitled Rocketman, will be directed by Michael Gracey, the man behind the Jim Henson biopic, The Muppet Man. According to The Independent, the film will take a radically differen approach to most mainstream films that chart a star's life.

"Tom is quickly becoming known as one of the world's most versatile actors, and like others at the top of their craft, he has proven his ability to transform himself completely into the character or subject found in the material," Peter Schlessel, the head of Universal and the film's co-executive producer, told Variety.

Elton John Next Fall
Elton Will Be An Executive Producer Of His Biopic.

To further his support of Hardy's casting, he added: "We are confident that Tom will embody the physicality and spirit of Sir Elton. This, in conjunction with the creative team led by Michael and Rocket Pictures, will provide the foundation for something that will be a unique cinematic event."