Austin Butler Perfectly Channels Elvis In 1st Look At Upcoming Movie — Watch
Austin Butler is Elvis. Director Baz Luhrmann shared the first look at Austin playing the King of Rock & Roll in the forthcoming biopic, and it’s absolutely epic.
Big news came out on Monday (Nov. 15) for Elvis Presley fans. Film director Baz Luhrmann took to Instagram to share a teaser trailer of the upcoming Elvis biopic, and revealed its theatrical release date is June 24, 2022. The 20-second clip shows actor Austin Butler, 30, in character as the King of Rock and Roll while Elvis’ song “Suspicious Minds” played. Austin could only be seen from behind, wearing two of Elvis’ iconic outfits: the first being the black leather jacket, and the second a white suit. Baz, 59, captioned the clip, “Elvis Monday. Made a little something to let you good people know we are taking care of business on June 24, 2022. #Elvis #TCB.”
Some of Baz’s followers went wild over the first-look clip. “oh my god it’s happening. everyone stay CALM,” one fan wrote, while another said, “Hot damn, this looks really cool.” A third fan complimented Austin on his similarities to Elvis. “He’s def got the walk down!” that follower said. Elvis has been dead for over 40 years now, so it’s pretty incredible to see so many people still enthralled with the iconic superstar.
Austin was cast in the forthcoming biopic over two years ago. Baz — whose previous directing credits include Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rogue!, and The Great Gatsby — was on the hunt for months to find the perfect star to portray Elvis, and Austin officially inked the deal in July 2019. “I’ve just got to say how profoundly honored I am that Baz has invited me on this journey with him,” he told E! News at the time. “It’s truly the privilege of a lifetime. It’s gonna be an extensive exploration process.”
Elvis will also star Tom Hanks as Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and Olivia DeJonge as Elvis’ wife, Priscilla Presley. Per Warner Bros., the film will “delve into their complex dynamic spanning over 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.”