We’d like for you to come and meet Johnny Flynn as David Bowie, because we think he’ll blow your mind. Salon Pictures has unveiled the first look at “Stardust,” a film which stars the rising actor Flynn as the Starman himself, late rockstar Bowie.
The image of Flynn bares a striking resemblance to Bowie in 1971 when the film is set, specifically focusing on a turning point in his life during his first trip to the U.S. when he was inspired to develop the Ziggy Stardust alter ego that would inspire one of his best albums. It’s also the first film about Bowie’s life since his passing in 2016.
However, don’t expect to hear any of those seminal songs from the era. “Stardust” is an unauthorized biopic on the life of Bowie. Bowie’s son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, said back in January that the film did not have the blessing of the family and that the estate would not be granting the use of Bowie’s music.
“I’m not saying this movie is not happening. I honestly wouldn’t know,” Jones said in a tweet. “I’m saying that as it stands, this movie won’t have any of dads music in it, & I can’t imagine that changing. If you want to see a biopic without his music or the families blessing, that’s up to the audience.”
At the time, the producers responded and further stressed that the film isn’t even really a “biopic.”
“We would like to clarify that this film is not a biopic, it is a moment in time film at a turning point in David’s life, and is not reliant on Bowie’s music,” the producers said in a statement to EW. “The film was written as an ‘origins story’ about the beginning of David’s journey as he invented his Ziggy Stardust character, and focuses on the character study of the artist, as opposed to a hits driven ‘music’ biopic.”
Gabriel Range directed the film from a screenplay by Christopher Bell. Marc Maron and Jena Malone also star in “Stardust,” which Salon Pictures is aiming for a 2020 release. Film Constellation is handling sales on the project.
Flynn is known for his work in “Genius” as a young Albert Einstein, and in “Clouds of Sils Maria.”
See the new image from the film above.