Eddie the Eagle is the forthcoming British-American-German comedic drama from distributor 20th Century Fox starring Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service) as real-life Olympic athlete Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards. During the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, Edwards became the first British ski jumper to compete at the Olympic level for his respective nation.
Edward’s story is one of the triumph of will and independently funded achievement, which is the shining factor of this real life story that director Dexter Fletcher and producer Matthew Vaughan appear to be bringing to their new sports drama based on the tale. You can watch the new trailer for Eddie the Eagle, above.
Like the initial international trailer, the first U.S. trailer for Eddie the Eagle reflects much of the same joie de vivre that appears to be a pervasive element of the entire production. Once more, Egerton and co-star Hugh Jackman appear primed to deliver on a new cinematic monument to physical prowess - one that will attempt the same sense of dramatic grandeur as other such sports dramas of its kind, like Rudy or Remember the Titans.
You can check out the official Eddie the Eagle poster, below:
Despite taking certain liberties in constructing an original screenplay based on the life of the film’s real-life, former Olympic athlete, Eddie the Eagle screenwriters Simon Kelton and Sean Macaulay look to have crafted a story with a sense of authorial direction in this latest trailer - even if the finished film ends up being little more than a hyperbolic, feel-good take-off from actual events. Jackman’s character in the movie, for example, may have been fabricated for the sake of narrative digression, but it’s hard to find fault with the filmmakers for wanting to bring in another star performer to work alongside the relatively young Egerton in this new production.
By the time Eddie the Eagle reaches theaters in February 2016 release, Fletcher and Vaughn might just have an early year success story on their hands - one that could attract a sizable audience, looking for something to tide them over during the cold winter months. And if nothing else, perhaps this new picture will bring Edwards’ story back into the limelight, winning the man renewed acclaim and cultural importance in the eyes of another generation of sports film fans.
Eddie the Eagle opens in U.S. theaters on February 26th, 2016.
Source: 20th Century Fox
