It’s been a while since we’ve seen new footage from Elvis, the upcoming Baz Luhrmann biopic that centers around the king of rock ‘n roll. The first trailer was released back in mid-February, but as the movie’s release date approaches, we can finally look forward to getting more sneak peeks at Austin Butler as the title character. The story is set to span 20 years across Elvis Presley’s life and career, and provide a closer look at the icon’s complicated relationship with his manager Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).
Elvis is Luhrmann’s first movie since 2013’s The Great Gatsby. The filmmaker co-wrote the script with Sam Bromell (The Get Down), Craig Pearce (Moulin Rouge!), and Jeremy Doner (The Killing). The story is, of course, based on one of the most influential cultural icons of the last century. Elvis sold over 500 million records across his career is still the best-selling solo recording artist the world has ever seen, way after his premature death in 1977. He was 42 years old.
Aside from Butler and Hanks, the cast of Elvis also features Helen Thomson (Top of the Lake: China Girl) as Elvis’s mother Gladys, Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge!) as Elvis’s father Vernon, Olivia DeJonge (The Visit) as Priscilla Presley, Luke Bracey (Hacksaw Ridge) as Jerry Schilling, Natasha Bassett (Hail, Caesar!) as Dixie Locke, David Wenham (Lion) as Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (The Trial of the Chicago 7) as B.B. King, Xavier Samuel (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) as Scotty Moore, and Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) as Jimmie Rodgers Snow. To play additional iconic musical artists in the film, Luhrmann cast singer/songwriter Yola as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason as Little Richard, Austin, Texas native Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh as Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton.
Elvis premieres in theaters on June 24. The movie is premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, which is currently ongoing. You can watch the new trailer below:
Check out the official synopsis here:
The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).