Having launched himself off a ski ramp and into sporting history 28 years ago, Eddie The Eagle is finally landing in cinemas this April. The tale of Eddie’s journey from working as a plasterer in Chelmsford to competing in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, just months after taking up ski-jumping, is one of British sports most unlikely feel-good stories. He became the first Brit to ever compete in the event, and until this day remains the only person who’s ever done so. Now a new biopic from Sunshine on Leith director Dexter Fletcher is shaping up to be Britain’s very own answer to Cool Runnings, with Kingsman star Taron Egerton sporting a dodgy ‘tache as Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards himself and Hugh Jackman as his alcoholic coach Bronson Peary. We’ve seen the film already, and we’re happy to report that it’s an Olympic medal-worthy mix of kitchen-sink drama, training montages and British humour.
The good news, if you’re a fan of 80s sportswear, tales of sporting redemption and getting something for nothing, is that your wait to see Eddie in full flight could be over sooner than you thought. Eddie The Eagle is the latest film to be picked for our ShortList Film Club, and we’ll be hosting exclusive preview screenings nationwide in the weeks before its official release.
The even better news is that it’s easier than falling off a ski life to get tickets for our free screenings.