Lisa Marie Presley Reportedly Fears Elvis Biopic Will Face ‘Backlash’ in ‘Me Too’ Era

Lisa Marie Presley is reportedly concerned that Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming film about her father, the late Elvis Presley, might meet backlash in light of the Me Too era. Presley fears the film will expose Elvis’ interest in young girls, especially since he famously started dating Priscilla Presley when her mother was only 14 years old. Elvis and Priscilla married in May 1967, when Priscilla was 22 and Elvis was 32.

“With today’s climate, Lisa Marie is concerned Luhrmnan will exploit that relationship, and there’ll be a huge backlash against her dad,” a source told Frame columnist A.J. Benza, reports Radar Online.

According to Benza’s source, Priscilla has not spoken with Presley about the film, which is reportedly going to focus more on Elvis’ relationship with his controversial manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Presley is concerned that Priscilla has been too open with Luhrmann.

“Lisa Marie has been trying to have Priscilla really consider how much private information she gives, but it’s been a one-way conversation,” the source explained.

Back in September, Priscilla told Us Weekly she will have a hands-on role in helping shape the film.

“I have been involved with Baz,” the former Dallas star said. “He has come to my home and he has been emailing me. In fact, we’re going to be having another lunch at my home. He’s keeping me on top of everything. It’s been wonderful. He is a genius.”

However, she assured that the she is not telling Luhrmann how to direct the movie.

“I’m not getting involved with any kind of telling him what to do or how to do it or suggestions,” she explained. “No, no. I think this will be very stylized, very different.”

The new film will star Once Upon A Time In Hollywood breakout Austin Butler as Elvis and Tom Hanks as Parker. Australian actress Olivia DeJonge, best known to American audiences for playing Becca in the 2017 horror film The Visit, was cast as Priscilla in October.

“Olivia is capable of manifesting the complex depth and presence that has made Priscilla Presley an icon in her own right,” Luhrmann said of DeJonge. “She’s an extremely talented young actor and the perfect counterpoint to Austin’s Elvis.”

Priscilla did not comment on Butler’s casting, but she was confident in Hanks’ ability to play Parker.

“Tom Hanks can pretty much capture anybody as far as his acting ability and how professional he is and how deep and deeply involved he gets with the character,” she told Us Weekly. “I’m extremely pleased. I think that it’ll be very good.”

The new Elvis film still does not have a title, but is scheduled to open on Oct. 1, 2021. Luhrmann wrote the film with Craig Pearceand production will start in Australia in 2020.

Luhrmann is best known for his incredibly stylized and outrageous filmmaking, with Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet and the 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby on his resume. He earned an Oscar nomination as a producer on Moulin Rouge!, which was recently turned into a Broadway show. He also helmed The Get Down for Netflix in 2017.

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