Elvis has re-entered the building. Sort of.
Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic following the life of the King has found its lead in Austin Butler. Butler took to Instagram to announce the news himself.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz8sg24Bw6y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Butler beat out hundreds of actors from around the world. Even big names such as Ansel Elgort, Harry Styles, and Miles Teller, who once stated that playing a young Elvis was his career aspiration.
Luhrmann also released a statement regarding Butler’s casting. “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 honor 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.”
Production on Luhrmann’s film is set to begin in early 2020. Tom Hanks is attached to star opposite Butler as Elvis’ longtime manager Col. Tom Parker. Butler will appear later this month in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and also had a role in The Dead Don’t Die.
