Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagicElton John is the executive producer of the new animated movie Sherlock Gnomes, which also features his songs. Elton feels the sequel to 2011’s Gnomeo and Juliet is better than the first — mainly because it takes place in his home city of London.
“The first film was a love story about how two gnomes from two battling gardens fell in love, and it was very funny,” Elton says. “This film is about Gnomeo and Juliet, who are together and they’ve moved down to London…it’s more of an adventure film.”
He adds, “It’s all around London so it’s quite panoramic…it’s far more adventurous and far more, I think, enjoyable.”
Elton thinks it was a “great idea” to use the city as a backdrop, noting, “London offers so many great scenarios and so many different locations…It’s a love letter to London, really.”
Plot-wise, all the gnomes in London are being kidnapped, so Sherlock Gnomes, voiced by Johnny Depp, shows up to help find them. While looking for clues, Sherlock visits a doll museum, where he runs into his ex, a doll named Irene who’s voiced by Mary J. Blige.
“Sherlock…treated her very badly, because he’s so self-obsessed,” Elton explains. “So…she’s not exactly pleased to see Sherlock. And she does this huge number, and dance routine.” In the scene, Blige sings, “Stronger Than I Ever Was,” a song written specifically for the movie by Elton. “She does it brilliantly,” he says.
Elton’s own songs in the movie include “Philadelphia Freedom,” “I’m Still Standing” and “Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fighting).”
Sherlock Gnomes stars Emily Blunt and James McAvoy as Gnomeo and Juliet, and also features Ozzy Osbourne as a garden deer named Fawn. The film is in theaters today.
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