Warner Bros. is hyping up its upcoming film Elvis with a premiere just as flashy as the titular singer. Deadline reports that the biopic about the famous King of Rock n’ Roll and his manager Colonel Tom Parker will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, a month before its theatrical release. While no specific date has been set for Elvis‘s screenings, the festival will take place from May 17 through May 28.
The premiere at the renowned festival is surely a win for director and writer Baz Luhrmann, as the film faced a number of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with lead actor Tom Hanks catching the virus just a few weeks before filming started. Though initially set to begin in March 2020, production was halted until September of that year, leading to cast members Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rufus Sewell dropping the project as a result of the shooting delays. Their roles as the titular singer’s parents were recast with Helen Thomson and Richard Roxburgh.
Elvis will chronicle the life and stardom of the musician Elvis Presley, including his relationship with Parker, who acted as the singer’s sole representative for much of his career. Austin Butler and Hanks lead the cast as Presley and Parker respectively, and like any biopic, the cast is full of notable stars taking the role of important figures in the lead’s life. The long cast includes Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley, Kelvin Harrison as B.B. King, David Wenham as Hank Snow, and David Gannon as Charlie Hodge, among many others portraying close friends, fellow musicians, and studio producers.
Cannes Film Festival is one of the most exclusive festivals in the industry, due to their invitation-only selection. The festival invites films across a variety of genres, including documentaries, with selections coming from across the globe. Cannes has been held annually since 1946, save for its cancelation in 2020 due to the pandemic, which saw the delay and cancelation of many events due to public safety. The festival has become a particularly important showcase for European films and granting exposure to worldwide filmmakers. Due to the massive media exposure, it’s become a well-known avenue for pursing global distributors.
Elvis will be distributed by Warner Bros. who are recently coming off the success of DC superhero movie The Batman. Elvis’s entrance into Cannes is a win for production and cast as the biopic finally premieres to the public.
Elvis is set to hit theaters on June 24.
via Collider