Austin Butler has been cast as the legendary Elvis Presley in an upcoming biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann.
Luhrmann selected Butler for the biopic after several screen tests involving a handful of other actors, including Harry Styles and Ansel Elgort. Butler will be joined by Tom Hanks, who is set to play Presley's manager, Col. Tom Parker.
The Warner Bros. movie will focus on Presley's rise to stardom and his relationship with Parker.
"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," Luhrmann said in a statement to Variety.
"Throughout the casting process, it was an honor for me to encounter such a vast array of talent," he added. "I had heard about Austin Butler from his stand-out 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."
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