UNITED STATES - JULY 20: NASSAU COLISEUM Photo of Elvis PRESLEY, performing live onstage (Photo ... [+]
Elvis Presley remains an incredibly popular musician, even decades after his death. The singer-songwriter’s brand enjoyed a boost a few years ago thanks to his highly-anticipated biopic, Elvis, which ended up becoming a critical and commercial success. Now, the man behind that project may be looking to stay in the business of the king.
At the Met Gala on Monday (May 6), director Baz Luhrmann spoke to the Hollywood Reporter, and he revealed some very good news for those who love Presley. “The fans really want to know if all that footage we found in the vaults is going to become a concert film,” he stated in a short interview. The celebrated filmmaker then added, tantalizingly, “I’m here to say I think it’s gonna happen.”
Rumors that Luhrmann was working on a second Presley movie of some kind began late last year after the director took to Instagram to share that he’d uncovered plenty of great archival material. He wrote that he and his team had “found reels and reels of never-before-seen footage of Elvis on Tour and That’s The Way It Is.”
Both Elvis on Tour and That’s The Way It Is are previously-released documentaries focused on Presley. The two were originally shared in the ‘70s, but according to Luhrmann, fans didn’t get to see everything that was filmed, and there may be plenty more that’s worth watching.
For the moment, there are no concrete details regarding any new Presley projects. Luhrmann’s reveal may mean that he is getting ready to announce something definitive soon…or there’s a good chance that fans will have to wait months, or possibly even years before they get to watch a new–or even an updated–film.
Luhrmann’s Presley biopic Elvis was a huge hit after it was released in mid-2022. The movie went on to gross just under $300 million globally off of a production budget of $85 million. It earned eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. The title didn’t win any gold that evening, losing the top prize to Everything Everywhere All At Once.
A new Presley concert film would be a surefire win for whichever streaming platform picked it up–and it would likely cost a very pretty penny after what may be a bidding war for the project. Luhrmann and the late singer’s estate could also choose to release the as-yet-unofficial movie in theaters, where it could bring in millions in box office revenue.
