Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic has been a long time in the making, with the production taking almost a decade to make it to the big screen. While last fall saw a bit of footage revealed through a quick teaser from Lurhmann himself, it was all too brief and left his fans wanting more. That’s all changed now, as the Austin Butler/Tom Hanks-starring biopic has now given us a better look at what to expect, and we’re all shook up.
Finally revealing Butler’s looks as The King, Warner Bros. freshly delivered the first trailer for the studio's June release. Showing us various points in Presley's life and career, it looks absolutely stunning in its first footage. Though Austin Butler’s Elvis Presley is undoubtedly taking center stage, we’ve also gotten a look at a Tom Hanks performance, too. It's one that Baz Luhrmann has teased with some pretty high expectations.
Playing Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker, the Moulin Rouge director promises we’ll see a previously unknown side to Mr. Hanks’ acting. From the looks of what we’ve seen above, as well as the official still included below, transformative prosthetics look to be a component that’ll enhance the already iconic actor’s abilities.
Framed as a tale being told by Col. Parker himself, we’re also privy to some Tom Hanks narration to set the tone in this history-spanning story. With talk of greatness and destiny in the air, one can’t help but be reminded of how the “cradle to grave” musical biopic has somewhat fallen out of style in recent years. For every Bohemian Rhapsody style success, there's a tale of a movie like Respect falling flat at the box office to counter it.
Few movies of this ilk have found their way to audiences hearts as of late, but leave it to the Australian director who gave us Romeo + Juliet to rebel against such a notion. Watching this trailer, Luhrmann’s unique visual style and energy is out in force, bringing an electricity to this brief glimpse. Elvis Presley’s hips have always been legendary, but the way this trailer brings that fact to life needs to be seen to be believed. The momentum is undeniable, and especially encouraging after COVID-19 had temporarily shut down production due to Tom Hanks' surprising diagnosis.
It’s another part of Austin Butler’s leading performance that occupies a cozy intersection between mimicry and sincerity. Embodying the man and the myth, Elvis’s trailer shows off Butler’s skills alongside its visual sizzle. It should also be noted that through his own singing and vocal performance, the man continues to absolutely nailing this role so far. Which kind of isn't a surprise, as Mr. Butler landed this role after his appearance in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
Thanks to this trailer for Elvis, there seems to be new life in the musical biopic. Opting for a flare that’s reminiscent of what we saw in Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman, Baz Luhrmann seems ready to tell an American success story with a bold visual language. As it’s being helped along by Austin Butler and Tom Hanks’ impressive-looking performances, the world might just say “thank ‘ya very much” once the final result has been unleashed.
Can this musical biography be the next Bohemian Rhapsody style success story, similarly smashing overseas box office milestones as that film had? We'll see when Elvis enters the building, and the theater, on June 24th. With plenty of other new movie releases making up the 2022 calendar, there will be other films to help pass the time until then. So don’t be cruel, and give the full rundown a look for your next trip to the movies.
