Baz Luhrmann, the director of the Greatest Image nominee Elvis, has introduced one other undertaking surrounding The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
The Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rogue! filmmaker launched Elvis in 2022, a biopic starring Austin Butler because the rockstar and Tom Hanks as his infamous supervisor Colonel Tom Parker. The showbiz drama grossed practically $300 million worldwide and went on to be nominated for eight Oscars, together with Greatest Actor in a Lead Position for Butler, successfully cementing the star’s A-list standing.
Now, in a brand new interview with the UK’s Magic Radio, Luhrmann has confirmed {that a} stage musical adaptation of Elvis Presley’s life is within the works, stating: “It is being labored on. It is taking place.” The director has teased the potential for this earlier than, however this can be a extra definitive affirmation. “I do not know if I used to be alleged to announce it,” Luhrmann additionally stated, “however, hey, I simply did.“
This is not going to be the primary time that Luhrmann is bringing a model of one in all his profitable films to the stage, following Moulin Rouge! The Musical‘s premiere on Broadway in 2019, occurring to win the Tony for Greatest Musical. Luhrmann and his spouse, Catherine Martin, served as inventive consultants on the manufacturing, whereas passing the reins to a stage director.
“I’ve this factor, I’ve discovered. It is like, I obtained Alex Timbers to do the Moulin Rouge musical,” Luhrmann additionally stated within the Magic Radio Interview, “I can by no means go backwards. I can not be me once I was 28 doing Romeo and Juliet or Strictly Ballroom…However I actually love handing it on and I am not valuable.” Presumably, he’ll hand the Elvis stage musical over to a brand new inventive associate.
Nevertheless, no solid, crew, or manufacturing timeline was revealed at this second. Luhrmann can be the director of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Live performance, a documentary and live performance film at present in theaters. Thus, at this level, when Luhrmann has invested a lot time into showcasing Elvis’ profession in a single type or one other, the brand new stage musical could also be a very particular undertaking for him.
Nevertheless, it additionally differs from the evolution of Moulin Rouge!, which premiered as a film in 2001 (and was additionally nominated for Greatest Image), earlier than getting a stage adaptation virtually 20 years later. Elvis is relatively recent in folks’s minds, which is able to have an effect on how the musical is talked about and in comparison with the film that got here earlier than it.
Then again, audiences could also be wishing that Luhrmann would transfer on to new material — which can be taking place, when he’s in all probability not directing the stage musical himself, and it might nonetheless be some time earlier than this premieres. In the meantime, Luhrmann is now engaged on a Joan of Arc characteristic movie, having solid relative newcomer Isla Johnston within the lead function.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Luhrmann revealed a key line from his Jehanne d’Arc script: “Light Dauphin, we have to peel this world away from the knobbly previous arms of those previous males.” Be it one other historic biopic or a glitzy Broadway musical, followers of the Elvis director’s work can count on him to ship some riveting new productions quickly.
- Launch Date
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June 23, 2022
- Runtime
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159 minutes
- Writers
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Jeremy Doner, Craig Pearce, Sam Bromell, Baz Luhrmann
- Producers
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Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, Schuyler Weiss, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin