movies

Elton John Criticizes Vatican for Same-Sex Marriage Stance After Funding Rocketman

Taron Egerton as Elton John in Rocketman. Photo: Paramount Pictures

The Catholic Church restated its stance against same-sex marriage on March 15, with the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith saying God “cannot bless sin.” In the wake of this news, Elton John would like to remind the Catholic Church that it once blessed his sinful 2019 biopic Rocketman with funding. “How can the Vatican refuse to bless gay marriages because they ‘are sin,’ yet happily make a profit from investing millions in Rocketman — a film which celebrates my finding happiness from my marriage to David??” John tweeted, literally @-ing Pope Francis himself. John cited a December 2019 investigation in which Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera uncovered significant Vatican ties to the Centurion Global Fund in Malta. The fund, in turn, contributed $4.5 million to Rocketman and Men in Black: International in February 2019, the Daily Beast noted, per the Corriere report. “Investigations are in process,” the Vatican told the Beast at the time. Rocketman doesn’t just portray John’s marriage — it notably depicted gay sex, which led the film to be censored in countries like Russia. Plus, The Two Popes was right there on the 2019 release calendar for the Vatican to fund instead.

Elton John Wants to Remind You the Vatican Funded Rocketman