'Euphoria' Star Tapped to Play Elvis in Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla' Biopic

By Daniel S. Levine

The success of Baz Luhrmann's Elvis is not dissuading other filmmakers from telling other stories about Elvis Presley on the big screen. The next big Presley movie could be Priscilla, Sophia Coppola's adaptation of Prescilla Presley's best-selling memoir Elvis and Me. The film will star Cailee Spaeny (Mare of Easttown) and Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) in the two main roles.

Sources told Deadline that Coppola has been considering making this film for some time as her follow-up to her 2020 comedy On the Rocks. She now hopes to start production this fall since Elordi nabbed the Presley role. Spaeny has reportedly always been Coppola's top choice for playing Priscilla. Coppola is also adapting Priscilla's book herself.

Priscilla will be produced by Coppola, Youree Henley, and Lorenzo Mieli of The Apartment. American Zeotrope, a Fremantle Company, and Sony's Stage 6 Films are financing. A24, which teamed with Apple TV+ on On The Rocks, will distribute the film in North America. Sony Pictures International Releasing will handle international distribution except for Italy, where Vision Distribution will release it.

Coppola plans to work with her longtime collaborators, including cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, costume designer Stacey Battat, editor Sarah Flack, and production designer Tamara Deverell. A24 also released Coppola's 2013 movie The Bling Ring. She is also developing a series based on Edith Wharton's The Custom of the Country for Apple TV+.

Luhrmann's Elvis became an international success for Warner Bros. after its release in June. The movie has grossed over $284 million worldwide and earned Austin Butler great reviews for his performance as King of Rock and Roll. However, since the movie was more about Presley's relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), his relationship with Priscilla was only fleetingly touched on. Olivia DeJonge (The Society) starred as Priscilla in Elvis.

Presley met Priscilla when she was only 14 years old during his Army career in 1959. After Presley finished his Army service in 1960, they went two years without seeing each other. Priscilla's parents allowed her to move to Graceland. Presley and Priscilla married in May 1967 and welcomed their only child, Lisa Marie Presley, in February 1968. They split in 1972 and their divorce was finalized in October 1973. However, they remained close until Presley's death in 1977. Priscilla never remarried, although she was in a long-term relationship with Marco Garibaldi, with whom she shares her son, Navarone Garibaldi. She has not publicly commented on Coppola's plans to adapt Elvis and Me, which was recently released in e-book and audiobook form for the first time.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of