Billy Elliot The bus station, from where Billy leaves his father and brother for London, is the now-demolished Gallowgate Bus Station in Newcastle. The performance of "Swan Lake" takes place at the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London. On 22 May 1999, it was announced that Jamie Bell would play the lead role in the film, while Adam Cooper and Julie Walters were in early talks to join the cast. On 3 June 1999 it was reported that Gary Lewis, Jamie Draven, Jean Heywood, Stuart Wells, Merryn Owen, Nicola Blackwell, Colin Maclachlan, Mike Elliott, Billy Fane, Janine Birkett, Charlie Hardwick, Matthew James Thomas
Billy Elliot Pictures and Focus Features. Universal Studios Home Entertainment released "Billy Elliot" was released on DVD and VHS on 25 October 2001 and on Blu-ray Disc on 10 January 2012. The film holds an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 116 reviews with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critical consensus states: ""Billy Elliot" is a charming movie that can evoke both laughter and tears." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, complimenting