Singer Robbie Williams is played by a CGI monkey in first trailer for a bafflingly unique biopic with rave reviews

This ain’t Bohemian Rhapsody. The first trailer for Better Man, starring Robbie Williams as a CGI monkey, has arrived.

In the brief clip, which can be viewed below, we see what appears to be your everyday musical biopic – scenes of the artist as a child, performing on stage, and trashing a room – but, uh, in this case, the artist is played by a CGI monkey.

Williams explains this choice with a bit of overhead narration: “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.”

According to 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. 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.”

Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) directs from a screenplay he penned with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson. While Williams provides the voiceover, Jonno Davies provides the motion capture for the monkey. Bizarre concept or not, the film has rave reviews and an 86% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Better Man had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30. It’s slated for a wide release in Australia on December 26 and a limited theatrical release in the US on December 25. A wider US release is set to start on January 17. There’s no UK release date just yet.

For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond.