Elton John: Never Too Late is a revealing Disney Plus documentary that sees legendary British rocker Sir Elton John look back at his extraordinary life and career . It's been made by Elton's husband David Furnish and the showbiz king will take us through his early years and shows how he overcame adversity, abuse and addiction to become the singing icon he is today. We also join Sir Elton as he prepares for his last ever show at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Fans will also be thrilled to hear that the film features a new original song from Elton too.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Disney Plus documentary Elton John: Never Too Late…
Elton John: Never Too Late release date
Elton John: Never Too Late will premiere in selected cinemas in the UK and US on November 15 2024. The documentary will then launch on Disney Plus from Friday December 13 2024.
Is there an Elton John: Never Too Late trailer?
Yes there's a great Elton John: Never Too Late trailer showing Sir Elton performing back in the 1970s then talking about his darkest time, where he battled depression and addiction and struggled with his sexuality. There’s also footage of his final concert and touching moments with his husband David Furnish and their children. Take a look below...
What happens in Elton John: Never Too Late
Made by Elton John's husband David Furnish and award-winning director R J Cutler, the film Elton John: Never Too Late takes us on a journey through Sir Elton John’s life and career. It documents his rise to fame, childhood as Reg Dwight and troubled moments as well as his life now that he is happily married and a father to sons Zachery and Elijah. It culminates with his historic send-off as he performs for the last time in Los Angeles.
The 1970s are looked at in depth, and the documentary reveals the highs of this purple patch were accompanied by crushing lows in his personal life.
"I desperately didn’t want to be the Elton that I’d become," says the 77-year-old. "There was an emptiness within me. I could have fun, but when I went home at night, it didn’t really satisfy me. The only thing in my life at that point was work. But everyone thought my life was perfect!"
While the feature-length special centres on his early 1970s career, the film also takes Elton back in time to reflect on family life growing up in the north London suburb of Pinner.
"There were lots of arguments," Sir Elton says. "I was frightened of both my parents. My whole childhood was full of fear."
However, playing the piano provided a welcome distraction for the young Reginald Dwight, as Elton was born, and after studying at London’s Royal Academy of Music, he dedicated himself to pursuing a career in this industry. And it was a happy accident that brought one of rock music’s all-time great songwriting partnerships together, when the budding musician was handed an envelope full of lyrics by Bernie Taupin, who would become Elton’s long-term collaborator, in 1967.
"‘It boggles the mind!" says Elton. "That was the biggest piece of serendipity that I could possibly have, and Bernie was the link to whatever was going to happen!"
Soon afterwards, Elton decided it was time to change his name. "Reg was never going to make it," he smiles. ‘“Here he is, Reg Dwight!” That sounded boring, but Elton John was different!"
After scoring his first hit single in the UK with 1970’s Your Song, Elton crossed the Atlantic in a bid to crack America, and it was playing at LA’s famous Troubadour club the same year that kickstarted his career Stateside.
"The next day, we got incredible press reviews, word spread, and the album went soaring up the charts," he recalls. "I thought we might be quite successful in America, but never as successful as that!’
His reputation as a live performer grew, and Elton, who would become known for his flamboyant outfits, says that being on stage has always been a transformative experience for him. ‘I love performing!’ he says. "It’s electric, fulfilling, almost an out-of-body experience. You really feel free as a bird, and you can do anything you want."
But while he was hitting career milestones, including the unprecedented feat of having successive albums enter America’s Billboard chart at No.1, Elton’s unhappy private life, and the gulf between his public image and real self, were leading him to the pivotal moment when he came out as bisexual in a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone magazine.
"I was so tired of hiding away," recalls the star who, in 1992, would tell the same publication that he was ‘quite comfortable being gay’. "That was a definitive time in my life because I was being honest. And the whole point of this documentary, for me, was that the truth should always be told."
All about Sir Elton John
Sir Elton John was born Reg Dwight in north London. He shot to fame in 1970 when his first hit single Your Song reached the Top 10 in the British and American charts. Known for his platform boots, glasses and flamboyant costumes, during the 1970s he produced hit after hit, including Bennie and the Jets, Tiny Dancer, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Rocket Man, which later became the title of his biopic, which starred Taron Egerton as the iconic showman.
Having been married, to Renate Blauel, Elton came out as gay in 1988 and began a relationship with David Furnish in 1993. The pair, who are now married and have two sons, created the Elton John AIDS Foundation which has raised more than $600 million to support HIV-related programs in 55 different countries. Elton’s career has spanned five decades and over that time he’s collaborated with artists such as Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, George Michael and Dua Lipa. His final tour was a mammoth three-year affair consisting of more than 300 concerts worldwide.
Co-director R.J. Cutler shares behind the scenes stories from Elton John: Never Too Late…
His previous subjects have included former US president Bill Clinton, Hollywood acting great Marlon Brando, Vogue editor Dame Anna Wintour and singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. But for American film-maker R.J Cutler, making Elton John: Never Too Late was a real labour of love. Here, in an exclusive interview, he talks about working with Sir Elton and Elton’s husband David Furnish, who co-directed the film, on this passion project…
R.J, why did you want to make a documentary about Elton?
R.J Cutler says" This is a very personal film. I grew up a massive Elton fan, and the first concert I attended was in 1974, when John Lennon joined him on stage at New York’s Madison Square Garden."
How did you find working with Elton?
"He couldn’t have been more welcoming and supportive. During our conversations it became clear that this would be a film about mortality – hence the title Never Too Late."
What makes him such a compelling subject?
"We love his music but we also love the man, because of the choices he’s made. He’s almost like Mozart, with the gift he has to create music. But he didn’t know how to be the human being he wanted to be. That’s what makes it such a powerful story."
Do you think people fully appreciate Elton’s huge success in the early 1970s?
"They certainly will as a result of this film! It’s hard to fathom that anybody could release 13 albums in a five-year period, seven of which go to No.1."
Is there a piece of archive footage you found that particularly stands out?
"The Cliff Jahr [the Rolling Stone journalist Elton came out as bisexual to] tapes are a revelation. It’s 1976 and Elton comes out of the closet at a time when homophobia was the norm, and he is the biggest star in the world."
He’s a thrilling performer to watch. What do you think being on stage meant for him?
"That was the easy part for him. His last great addiction was being on stage, where the love filled him in a way that he needed, until he found David, and they fathered their kids."
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