Baz Luhrmann has confirmed who will play Elvis in his upcoming biopic about the rock’n’roll icon.
Austin Butler, whose previous credits include Jim Jarmusch’s latest zombie movie The Dead Don’t Die and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, will play the star in the as-yet-untitled film.
In a statement, Luhrmann said: “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 will appear in the film alongside Tom Hanks, who will play Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker.
The movie will chart the musician’s rise to fame and examine his relationship with Parker. According to Warner Bros, the story will be set “against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and the loss of innocence in America.”
The casting news will come as a disappointment to G-Eazy, who was reportedly lobbying to play The King in the biopic. Meanwhile, Harry Styles, Ansel Elgort, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Miles Teller were all in the running to take the role and all underwent screen tests last month.