When the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man hits screens Down Under on December 26, fans will get a unique look at the rise of a superstar.
But even though the pop king’s ascent to fame took place in Europe, most of the glossy production was actually filmed in Melbourne.
Robbie, 48, narrates fictionalised version of his life which traces the the UK- born hitmaker’s epic journey to stardom from boy band heart-throb to stadium rocker.
Among the Brit locations recreated for the film was London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The Docklands studio was used to fabricate the famed theatre for a scene depicting a milestone moment in Robbie’s career.
Well known Melbourne locations used for filming included Rod Laver Arena and the Intercontinental Melbourne hotel, the Cruden Farm at Langwarrin and the Fawkner Bowls club, reported the Herald Sun on Saturday.
When the Robbie Williams (pictured) biopic Better Man hits screens Down Under on December 26 fans will get a unique look at the rise of a superstar
But even though the pop king’s rise to fame took place in Europe and the UK most of the glossy $173million production was actually filmed in Melbourne. Pictured: A scene from the film
The $173 million production also used Crown Casino, the University of Melbourne, the Melbourne Town Hall and the Melbourne Pavilion and Stella Maris Seafarers Centre to stage scenes.
Filmed by Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey, who directed the box-office smash The Greatest Showman, Better Man has billed as a musical fantasy.
And in a bizarre move, the young Robbie is depicted in the film as a monkey using CGI.
Motion capture techniques were used to transform 31-year-old actor Jonno Davies into a life like creation of a humanoid ‘ape’.
Other members of the cast include Australian actors Kate Mulvany (The Great Gatsby), Damon Herriman (Mr InBetween).
Additionally, filmmaker and actor Anthony Hayes, whose feature film Gold is currently streaming on Stan, also appears.
Robbie first rose to fame in the all boy band Take That, before launching a successful solo career in 1996. A string of UK hit singles and albums followed.
In 2006 Robbie made it into the Guinness Book of World Records after he sold 1.6million concert tickets in a single day.
Filmed by Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey, who directed the box-office smash The Greatest Showman, Better Man has billed as a musical fantasy. And in a bizarre move, the young Robbie is depicted in the film as a monkey using CGI (pictured)
Robbie narrates the imaginative epic himself
The filmmakers have been careful to avoid comparisons to recent musical biopics like the Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody, and the Elton John story, Rocketman.
In an official statement the production said the film was ‘a satirical musical based on the life of a pop star’.
The film features ‘re-imaginings’ of Robbie’s hit songs, and stunning visual effects in order to explore the ‘inner demons’ the super star has had to battle both on stage and off.
While the production was based at Docklands Studios in Melbourne during filming back in 2022, some scenes were shot overseas.
In Serbia 2000 extras were recruited to recreated a Williams’ performance at the 2003 Knebworth Festival.
‘To tell Robbie William’s beautiful, distinct story, back home, in my own city, is a dream come true,’ Gracey said in a statement.
‘There is a creative energy that burns across the Melbourne film industry, and I know this movie will thrive here.’
He went on to describe Robbie as an ‘everyman’ who has an ‘incredibly relatable story’ about following your dreams.
Meanwhile, Colin Brooks, Minister for Creative Industries Victoria told the Herald Sun that the film was a huge boost to the state’s economy.
Claiming that he film was the biggest ever production mounted in Victoria he said that it created 2,920 jobs and pumped $142 million into the state’s economy.
