Baz Luhrmann has tapped stage and TV veteran Austin Butler to play Elvis Presley in his upcoming untitled biopic, according to Deadline. The drama will focus on Presley’s tumultuous relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to be played by Oscar winner and Tony nominee Tom Hanks.
Butler, best known for his work on the series Switched at Birth, The Carrie Diaries, Zoey 101, and Life Unexpected, made his Broadway debut in the 2018 revival of The Iceman Cometh, playing Don Parritt opposite Denzel Washington. He also plays Manson Family cult member Tex Watson in the upcoming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Production on the Warner Bros. project, featuring a screenplay by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, will begin next year in Australia.
Luhrmann is currently represented on Broadway with a stage adaptation of his 2001 movie Moulin Rouge!. Alex Timbers directs the production, which opens July 25 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
