The King is back! Austin Butler cast as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic
The actor fought off competition from Harry Styles and Miles Teller to land the coveted role
Bow down. The Elvis biopic has found its King.
Austin Butler has been confirmed to play the iconic rock and roll legend after impressing director Baz Luhrmann following multiple screen tests.
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“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,” he told Variety in a statement.
“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.”
Several big name stars had previously been linked to the role, with former One Directioner Harry Styles, and Baby Driver actor Ansel Elgort both reportedly having undergone screen tests alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Miles Teller.
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Butler will star alongside Tom Hanks in the hotly anticipated biopic, which will follow Elvis’ rise to fame from his dirt poor roots as well as charting the King of Rock and Roll’s legacy.
Hanks will play manager Col. Tom Parker, who had a famously tumultuous relationship with the star.
The film is expected to shoot in 2020 in order to accommodate Hanks’ busy schedule.
News of Butler's casting comes after comedian Rob Delaney revealed he had been cast as Elvis in Elton John biopic Rocketman, before his cameo was ultimately cut from the film.
Former child actor Butler, who had roles in Disney and Nickelodeon productions, will next star in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming film Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood which is set for UK release on 14th August.
