Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis”: Everything You Need to Know

When it comes to pop culture icons, Elvis Presley ranks high. He was a figure who defined an era in the history of modern music and whose legacy extends to this day. His life combines unprecedented musical success, excess and deep personal torment. Despite his physical disappearance, Elvis is a musician who over the years continues to arouse interest and accumulate fans. An example of this is the great enthusiasm generated by the upcoming premiere of "Elvis", a film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks.

This will be a production that will delve into the life and career of the King of Rock and Roll, as well as his relationship with his manager, the controversial Colonel Tom Parker, who would accompany the musician during his beginnings and the consolidation of his fame. But many see Parker as one of those responsible for Presley's impressive success, but also as manipulative and exploitative. Another important character in the film will be Priscilla Presley, who was Elvis's wife and with whom he would have a daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.

This is one of the many productions whose development was affected by the pandemic. In March 2020 they had to stop the production when it was known that actor Tom Hanks and his wife tested positive for COVID-19 during the making of this film in Australia.

From the previews, the film promises to tell Elvis's childhood, his approach to music and how he became a superstar in the music industry. The director has stated that the film will not only be a biography focused on the legacy of Elvis, but will also serve to approach the American reality of the decades of the 50s, 60s and 70s.

The portal Deadline has revealed that the film will have its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes festival to be held in May this year. Fact that speaks of the confidence of the filmmakers in the production. The arrival in theaters is scheduled for June 22.

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The talent behind the making of “Elvis”

"Elvis" has generated a lot of expectation, not only for telling the story of one of the greatest legends in the world of music, but also for the quality of the talent involved in the project. The director is Baz Luhrmann, who has been able to develop a successful film career. He is responsible for “Romeo + Juliet” (1996), an adaptation of the Shakespeare classic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes; of the famous musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and “The Great Gatsby” (2013). Now this Australian director has taken on the responsibility of creating a film that recounts the most important moments in Elvis Presley's career. The script is the work of Luhrmann and Craig Pearce.

For his part, Austin Butler will play the King of Rock and Roll . Butler recently starred in Quentin Tarantino's “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as Tex, one of Manson's cult members. To get the role, he had to compete with several actors, such as Ansel Elgort ("West Side Story"), Miles Teller ("Whiplash") and Aaron Taylor-Johnson ("Nocturnal Animals"). In this production Austin Butler will not only give life to Elvis, he also reinterprets several of his songs.

Oscar winner Tom Hanks will play Colonel Tom Parker. Priscilla Presley will be played by Olivia DeJonge, an actress whose work has been seen in "The Visit", a film by M. Night Shyamalan, and in the series "The Society".

Cameos of other musical figures

Other great figures from the world of music will also be presented in the film. Alton Mason will play Little Richard, singer Yola will play Rosetta Tharpe, Kelvin Harrison Jr. will play BB King, David Wenham will play Hank Snow, and Honka Dukureh will play Willie Mae "Big Mama".

As can be seen, "Elvis" is a very attractive proposal. It is predicted that it will be one of the great titles of this year. We will have to wait until June to know the fate of this project with the public and critics.