Baz Luhrmann has cast Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in the director’s upcoming film about the music legend.
The movie will begin shooting early next year in Queensland, Australia.
The film will explore the life and music of Presley and his complicated relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks.
The story will delve into their complex dynamic spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom.
Luhrmann stated, “I knew I couldn’t make this film if the casting wasn’t absolutely right, and we searched thoroughly for an actor with the ability to evoke the singular natural movement and vocal qualities of this peerless star, but also the inner vulnerability of the artist.
"Throughout the casting process, it was an honour for me to encounter such a vast array of talent. I had heard about Austin Butler from his stand-out role opposite Denzel Washington in The Iceman Cometh on Broadway, and through a journey of extensive screen testing and music and performance workshops, I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world’s most iconic musical figures.”
Butler made his Broadway debut in 2018 opposite Washington in Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh and received rave reviews for his work in the role of 'lost boy' Don Parritt.
He will be seen later this month opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Butler can currently be seen on the big screen alongside Bill Murray and Adam Driver in Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die.
