From Sunshine On Leith to snowfall in the Alps, director Dexter Fletcher is bringing Eddie The Eagle into our lives. The movie has a first trailer and poster to share below.
Readers of a certain age will remember myopic ‘80s ski jump legend Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards (Taron Egerton). Back when Britain’s only Winter Olympic chances were for every other skier to wipe out and allow one of the Bell brothers to triumph or for snowman-building to be incorporated into the roster of events, Eddie, ranked 55th in the world, was our best hope. He may not have won much but his spirit earned him cult status.
The movie, paying tribute to Edwards' indomitable spirit and relentless optimism while taking the odd detour with his story, will show he made the transition from plasterer to Olympian under the guidance of his blunt-spoken coach, Chuck Berghorn (Hugh Jackman).
But he was up against it from the start at the Calgary games in 1988. His weight (nine pounds more than the next contestant), lack of financial support, long-sightedness (which required him to wear glasses that frequently fogged up) and fear of heights made a podium finish a very distant prospect. Head to the 24-minute mark of Empire’s podcast with producer Matthew Vaughn for more on the story.
As the poster reveals, Eddie The Eagle arrives on cinemas on April Fool’s Day. Christopher Walken and Tim McInnerny also appear.