Harry Styles Might Play Elvis in Baz Luhrmanns Biopic

Time to stretch out those hips and pelvises, gentlemen: Baz Luhrmanns Elvis Presley biopic is working on casting its lead, and according to the Hollywood Reporter, five actors so far have screen-tested for the role. The list includes a couple entries youd expect—Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller—and one thats likely to set social media alight: Harry Styles, a singer turned actor whose legion of fans would likely kill to see him in a white sequined jumpsuit.

Per THR, the five young actors vying to play the King of Rock and Roll are Elgort, Styles, Teller, Austin Butler (The Shannara Chronicles), and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass, Avengers: Age of Ultron). Several of these actors have high-profile projects in the pipeline: Elgort will soon star in Steven Spielbergs West Side Story remake; Teller has the Top Gun sequel; and Butler, THR notes, has a role in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. The trade reports that screen testing commenced last week, with a decision to come in the next few weeks. The movie will track Elviss stratospheric rise to fame.

Of all the options on this list, Styless résumé is arguably the lightest in terms of acting; his only real film role so far was in Christopher Nolans Dunkirk in 2017. But given his onstage swagger—and the hordes of fans whod flock to the theater to see his film—the appeal is understandable. Besides, he was good in Dunkirk! Thats a start. Whoever gets the part will also star opposite Tom Hanks, whom Luhrmann has already locked down to play controlling manager Colonel Tom Parker.

This project marks Luhrmanns first major film in more than five years after 2013s Great Gatsby. In the intervening years he also co-created Netflixs The Get Down, an extremely expensive series about hip-hop in the 1970s—one that turned out to be a flop. But this Elvis movie is precisely the kind of project one can imagine Luhrmann knocking out of the park; theres drama, sequins, and tragedy. In the words of Elvis himself, its now or never.

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