KUALA LUMPUR: Oct 1, 2021 is the date set by Warner Bros. for director Baz Luhrmann’s untitled biopic of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.
Entertainment magazine Variety reported last Sunday that Luhrmann’s anticipated film will star Austin Butler as Elvis and award-winning actor Tom Hanks as his manager Colonel Tom Parker.
Butler was cast from a shortlist of five contenders, who also included Miles Teller of Fantastic Four, One Direction singer Harry Styles, Baby Driver star Ansel Elgort and Avengers: Age Of Ultron star Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Warner Bros. has described the new biopic as a story that will “delve into the complex dynamic” between Presley and Parker, who controlled every aspect of the King’s life.
Its timeline will span 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and the “loss of innocence in America”.
Luhrmann co-wrote the script with Craig Pearce. The project marks Luhrmann’s first film since his 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio.