The Elvis biopic has finally found its King of Rock n' Roll
Hollywood newcomer Austin Butler has landed the role of Elvis Presley in Baz Lurhmann's upcoming untitled biopic, beating out big-name rivals Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, and Harry Styles.
Deadline reports Lurhmann's movie will tell Elvis' story from the perspective of his longtime manager Colonel Tom Parker, who managed the star's musical and acting careers; Tom Hanks will play Parker in the movie.
Butler's previous credits include The Carrie Diaries and The Shannara Chronicles, as well as appearances in various Disney and Nickelodeon shows including Zoey 101 and Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. Additionally, he's appeared in The Dead Don't Die and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.
He also sings and records music, none of which has been widely released. Butler's singing and guitar skills did however appear in an episode of the short-lived TV series Are you There, Chelsea?, and hey — it looks like he can really sing!
The Elvis movie will be Lurhmann's first biopic of an historical figure, after adapting literary classics Romeo + Juliet and The Great Gatsby for the big screen and creating original musically-driven projects The Get Down and the Oscar-nominated Moulin Rouge.
Alexis Nedd is a senior entertainment reporter at Mashable. A self-named "fanthropologist," she's a fantasy, sci-fi, and superhero nerd with a penchant for pop cultural analysis. Her work has previously appeared in BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Esquire.
