Austin Butler Beats Out Harry Styles, Cast As Elvis In Upcoming Biopic

Austin Butler is your King of Rock and Roll!

After vying for the slot against top-line contenders including Ansel Elgort and Harry Styles, the 27-year-old, of The Shannara Chronicles and The Carrie Diaries fame, has been named to play Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming biopic, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

The motion picture, headed by Warner Bros., will touch on Presley's shot to stardom, but with more concentration on the performer's "complex dynamic" with his ever-controlling manager Col. Rom Parker (portrayed by Tom Hanks). According to the report, the untitled drama will span "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."

It's said the Luhrmann-produced project has been in the works since the Australian filmmaker completed The Great Gatsby, which premiered in 2013. “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," the 56-year-old told THR in a statement Monday (July 15).

In speaking of the casting process, Luhrmann revealed what interested him in courting Butler for the starring role: "I had heard about Austin Butler from his standout 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.”

Photo: Getty Images


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