'Better Man' Teaser: Robbie Williams Portrayed by a Monkey in Upcoming Musical Biopic

 How Do You Follow Up "The Greatest Showman"? For Michael Gracey, It Meant Turning to Monkeys—Literally

Director Michael Gracey, known for The Greatest Showman, is back with a unique twist on the musical biopic genre with Better Man, a film based on the life of British pop star Robbie Williams. The catch? Williams is portrayed by a CGI monkey. The film, produced by Paramount, is described as a “visual spectacle” that showcases Gracey’s ambitious and imaginative vision.

The team behind Better Man includes Weta FX and actor Jonno Davies, who performed the role of Williams in a motion-capture suit to bring the CGI monkey to life. Davies also provides the voice for the animated version of Williams. The film features Steve Pemberton and Raechelle Banno in supporting roles.

Gracey co-wrote the film with Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson, and Better Man made its debut at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival. IndieWire critic David Ehrlich praised the creative decision, noting that depicting Williams as a monkey added a fresh layer to the biopic. In his review, Ehrlich wrote: “You will see a monkey bleach its hair, party with Oasis, do unreasonable amounts of cocaine, stick a heroin needle in its fur, and drive headlong into traffic while belting out a pop song.”

Before the screening, Gracey explained that the choice to portray Williams as a monkey was a literal interpretation of the singer’s own view of himself as a “performing monkey.” However, the film never directly explains this creative decision, and other characters in the movie do not perceive Williams as a monkey, further highlighting his internal struggles.

Ehrlich’s review continued, saying, “It never lets you forget that Williams is different, and that he’s at the mercy of his own wounded ambition. By the end, you see him as human, even though the film never drops the monkey portrayal.”

Better Man joins other biopics that have taken unconventional approaches, such as Pharrell Williams’ choice to depict himself as a LEGO character in his upcoming film Piece by Piece.

Better Man is set to hit select theaters on December 25, with Paramount distributing the film.