Warner Bros. Picture has just released a new clip from its upcoming Elvis movie, giving us a blush-worthy look at the King himself. Elvis, the upcoming Baz Luhrmann biopic, has been building momentum for its June release, and the new video gives us a look at the insanity to come from the new film.
The new clip, shared to Twitter by Rotten Tomatoes, shows Elvis going on stage to play at the Louisiana Hayride at the start of his career in 1954. The scene is based on an actual early performance by Elvis, which helped to jumpstart his career, though the new clip certainly takes a few dramatic liberties with the events. It invigorates both the crowd and the man himself with a volt of electricity that sets the scene on the edge of chaos, with Elvis, played by Austin Butler, swiveling his hips as the young girls in the crowd go absolutely wild. Think the concert hall scene in Walk Hard but toned down just a little.
Meanwhile, a nearly unrecognizable Tom Hanks, in the role of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' manager, looks on from the sidelines, declaring that Elvis was his destiny. Quite the declaration from a character who is posed as both the villain and a narrative shepherd through the story of Elvis Presley. How the two will come to intersect throughout the film is yet to be seen in the clip, but their relationship will certainly prove to be a fateful one.
Buzz over Elvis has been building over the past few months, with Austin Butler's depiction of the King himself being met with praise and awe. Butler, who worked on both Nickelodeon and Disney Channel series as a child actor, has been building up to this role, which might just be his breakthrough. Butler has been praised for his commitment to the role, including the fact that he voiced Elvis' singing parts in the film, no small feat for a film that centers on Elvis Presley and his musical legacy.
Elvis is directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann, the director behind such over-the-top films as Moulin Rouge and the super stylish modern rendition of Romeo + Juliet. Luhrmann's decision to take over the story of one of history's most bedazzled and velvet-painted figures is a no-brainer. Unfortunately, however, fans will have to wait until the film hits theaters on June 24, 2022, to see his full vision come to life. Until then, you can check out the new clip below: