Elvis star Austin Butler has a ringing endorsement for his performance as the King of Rock 'n Roll from his ex-wife herself, Priscilla Presley. Ahead of the premiere of Baz Luhrmann's upcoming biopic, Presley was given a special screening of the film, which details the rise of Elvis along with his relationship with Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The film will have its world premiere at Cannes before hitting theaters in June, and it's already scoring some early Oscar buzz.
After a private screening of the film alongside family friend Jerry Schilling, Presley took to social media to share her thoughts. She praises the way Luhrmann brought this story to life in a "brilliant" way that only he could have. Presley also notes how difficult it must have been for Butler to play such a well-known legend, but even so, she was left blown away by his performance. Additionally, Presley goes on to praise Hanks while noting how the film does a great job of telling the true story, something she can attest to as someone who knew Elvis and Colonel Parker. As Presley explains on Twitter:
"For those curious about the new film ELVIS, Baz Luhrmann, the director, provided a private screening for me and Jerry Schilling at Warner studios recently. This story is about Elvis and Colonel Parker’s relationship. It is a true story told brilliantly and creatively that only Baz, in his unique artistic way, could have delivered. Austin Butler, who played Elvis is outstanding. Halfway through the film Jerry and I looked at each other and said WOW!!! Bravo to him…he knew he had big shoes to fill. He was extremely nervous playing this part. I can only imagine. Tom Hanks was Col Parker in this film. What a character he was. There was two sides to Colonel, Jerry and I witnessed both. The story, as we all know, does not have a happy ending. But I think you will understand a little bit more of Elvis’ journey, penned by a director who put his heart and soul and many hours into this film."
Elvis Stars Austin Butler as the Legendary Singer
Baz Luhrmann directed Elvis using a screenplay co-written by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, and Jeremy Doner. Along with Austin Butler as Elvis Presley and Tom Hanks as Tom Parker, the film features Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley and Luke Bracey as Jerry Schilling. The film also stars Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Natasha Bassett, David Wenham, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
At CinemaCon, Luhrmann teased what fans can expect from the biopic. The goal is to tell the story of the iconic singer, who broke onto the scene in the 1950s, in a way that today's generation will appreciate. Luhrmann almost feels that Elvis has a lot in common with superhero movies, as, in many ways, Presley was a real-life superhero. As the director said:
"You will hear the classics. You will see the story of Elvis, but we've also translated that for a younger generation. You know, while I was looking at that little reel and I'm thinking it feels a bit like a superhero film. It is because I actually Elvis is kind of the original superhero. And I mean that he comes from dirt, and in a few blinding moments, he rises so high, he finds his kryptonite, and also love. And then a beautiful, powerful tragedy ensues."
Elvis will be released in theaters on June 24, 2022.