Watch: Trailer Drops for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley Biopic
The trailer for Baz Luhrmann's ("Moulin Rouge") new Elvis biopic, starring Austin Butler ("Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"), has dropped — and Butler's portrayal of the legendary King of Rock n' Roll is "uncanny," Variety said.
Titled "Elvis," the upcoming film, slated for a June 24 theatrical release with a streaming premiere on HBO Max six weeks later, is Luhrmann's followup to 2013's "The Great Gatsby."
"The film explores two decades in the life of superstar Elvis Presley before his early death in 1977 at the age of 42, focusing on his complex relationship with manager Tom Parker (Tom Hanks)," Variety detailed.
Butler said that he spent a year preparing his voice for the role, which Luhrmann confirmed will be what audiences hear in the parts of the movie dealing with Elvis' youth, while "midlife Elvis" will be "a blend of Butler and tapes of Presley," The Hollywood Reporter said.
"When I began the process, I set out to get my voice to be identical," Butler said.
The star's preparation to depict Elvis' moves and stage persona was just as meticulous: "I watched as much as I could, over and over," Butler said, referring to video of the King in concert and his movie roles in the 1950s and '60s.
Also starring in the upcoming biopic, Variety noted, are: "Olivia DeJonge ('The Visit') as Elvis' wife Priscilla, singer-songwriter Yola as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Kodi Smit-McPhee ('The Power of the Dog') as Jimmie Rodgers, Kelvin Harrison Jr. ('The Trial of the Chicago 7') as B.B. King, Luke Bracey ('Little Fires Everywhere') as Jerry Schilling, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Presley's mother, Gladys Presley."
Watch the trailer below.