Elton John: Never Too Late
2024 documentary film by R. J. Cutler and David Furnish
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Elton John: Never Too Late is a 2024 documentary film directed by R. J. Cutler and David Furnish.[3] A co-production of Disney Original Documentary and Rocket Entertainment, the film profiles Elton John on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert tour, also integrating historic performance footage, excerpts from his private journals, and personal footage of his family life behind the scenes.[4][5][6][7]
- R. J. Cutler
- David Furnish
- Trevor Smith
| Elton John: Never Too Late | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | Elton John |
| Cinematography | Jenna Rosher |
| Edited by | Greg Finton Poppy Das |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,350,000[2] |
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2024, and had a limited theatrical release by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in the United States and United Kingdom on November 15, 2024, before streaming on Disney+ on December 13, 2024.[8] At the 97th Academy Awards, the original song "Never Too Late", written and performed by John himself and Brandi Carlile, was nominated for Best Original Song, becoming John's fifth and Carlile's first nomination in the category.
Production and development
The film's production was announced in 2022, originally with the working title Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years That Made His Legend.[9] Disney acquired the rights for the film for reportedly $30 million.[10][11] The title change came after Brandi Carlile composed the film's original song "Never Too Late", inspired after seeing a draft of the documentary at Elton John's home in southern France along with the director David Furnish.[12][13]
Release
The film premiered on September 6, 2024, at the Toronto International Film Festival, and had a limited theatrical release in the United States and United Kingdom on November 15, 2024, before streaming on Disney+ on December 13, 2024.[1][14][15]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of 43 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Celebrating Elton John's life while glossing over crucial passages of his career, Never Too Late gets the spirits high without ever going truly deep."[16] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[17]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | March 2, 2025 | Best Original Song | "Never Too Late" (Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin and Andrew Watt) | Nominated | [18] |
| Cinema Audio Society Awards | February 22, 2025 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Motion Picture – Documentary | Jae Kim, Elmo Ponsdomenech and Teddy Salas | Nominated | [19] |
| Golden Reel Awards | February 23, 2025 | Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing – Documentary | Michael Brake | Nominated | [20] |
| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Documentary | Rob Getty, Richard Yawn and Mike Pipgras | Nominated | |||
| Grammy Awards | February 1, 2026 | Best Song Written for Visual Media | "Never Too Late" (Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin and Andrew Watt) | Nominated | [21] |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | November 20, 2024 | Best Music Documentary – Special Program | R.J. Cutler, David Furnish, Trevor Smith | Nominated | [22] |
| Best Original Song in a Documentary | "Never Too Late" (Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin and Andrew Watt) | Won | |||
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | March 17, 2025 | Favorite On Screen | Elton John: Never Too Late | Nominated | [23] |
| Satellite Awards | January 26, 2025 | Best Original Song | "Never Too Late" (Elton John and Brandi Carlile) | Nominated | [24] |
| Society of Composers & Lyricists | February 12, 2025 | Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production | "Never Too Late" (Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin and Andrew Watt) | Nominated | [25] |