Movies

'Eddie The Eagle' Photos: Hugh Jackman And Taron Egerton Celebrate Winning And Losing

eddie the eagle
By Jack Giroux/

Produced by Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman: The Secret Service) and directed by actor-turned-director Dexter Fletcher (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Eddie the Eagle follows Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards (Taron Egerton), a ski jumper. The film scored big this weekend at Butt-Numb-A-Thon, and you can now get a better look at the sports drama.

Check out the new Eddie the Eagles photos:

Edwards wasn't the greatest skier, but he was Britain's first ski jumper — famous for his determination. To get ready for the 1988 Winter Olympics, he turned to coach Chuck Berghorn (Hugh Jackman). In the end, Edwards placed last in the 70m and 90m events. The more poorly he performed, the more popular he became.

Edwards, who's 52 years old now, had this to say about his drive to the Smithsonian Magazine:

"I was a true amateur and embodied what the Olympic spirit is all about," he says. "To me, competing was all that mattered. Americans are very much 'Win! Win! Win!' In England, we don't give a fig whether you win. It's great if you do, but we appreciate those who don't. The failures are the people who never get off their bums. Anyone who has a go is a success."

As for his involvement in the feature film, Edwards told The Guardian most of Eddie the Eagle is fictionalized:

"I've not really seen the script so I don't know what they've picked out of the things that happened in my life and what is made up. There's always a certain amount of [poetic licence] but I'm kind of anxious – what exactly have they put in about my life and how have they portrayed me?"

What's weird is, despite not having read the script or seen the film, he says only "10% to 15%" of the movie is based on truth. Whether it's faithful to the true story or not, people are already praising the film for its humor and sincerity. Eddie the Eagle premiered at BNAT this weekend, and here are a few very positive reactions:

As for the photos (courtesy of USA Today), they're basically just Jackman and Egerton hanging around, but it does make you look forward to seeing the chemistry they bring to Eddie the Eagle.

Here's the official plot synopsis:

The film details the inspiring exploits of Michael Edwards, better known as "Eddie the Eagle," the most famous ski jumper in British history. The film's portrayal of Edwards' never-say-die approach to the sport, celebrates the human spirit and resilience in the face of extraordinary odds and challenges. Taron Egerton, who made his feature film starring debut in Kingsman: The Secret Service, portrays Eddie the Eagle, and Hugh Jackman plays a ski jumping expert from Lake Placid who helps Eddie train for the Calgary Olympics.

Eddie the Eagle opens in theaters February 26th, 2016.

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