‘Priscilla’ — Tribute or Disaster Waiting To Happen?
Recent casting announcements for the ‘Elvis and Me’ film adaptation left fans worried about the movie
September 28, 2022
Following the release of Baz Luhrmann “Elvis,” a biopic about the proclaimed “King of Rock ’n Roll,” there has been a lot of renewed hype around Elvis Presley. Longtime fans have returned to showcase their devotion, and — thanks to Luhrmann’s tribute — new ones have also begun popping up, bringing multiple generations together in their shared infatuation with the Mississippi-born star.
The movie received adoration from fans of all ages, and the Presley family was even able to come together throughout the making of the movie, with both Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley reflecting fondly on their past with their ex-husband and father, respectively.
Even though this August marked the 45th anniversary of Elvis’ death, he is still being talked about, and, to this day, he is the best-selling solo recording artist of all time. His memory lives on through his music and his surviving family members, who each have their own ways of paying tribute to the King.
Now, with the success of Luhrmann’s film, the world’s already-abundant love for Elvis has only grown — so much so that another movie is in the works. Only this time, Priscilla will be the main focus.
While I’m all for another movie to commemorate one of my newfound idols, I do have some concerns regarding what little information has been released about the film thus far — and thanks to social media, I’ve realized that I’m not the only one with these concerns.
First, the new movie, titled “Priscilla,” will be developed by the movie studio A24 and is supposedly a new adaptation of Priscilla Presley’s memoir, “Elvis and Me.” The book goes into detail about Priscilla’s life with Elvis, discussing many different aspects of their time together. Most notably, it outlines the couple’s meeting, their relationship dynamic, and the events that led to their divorce in 1973. It was originally published in 1985, with a made-for-TV movie adaptation coming out not too long after in 1988.
I may be biased when I say that I absolutely hate this casting because in my book, no one could beat Austin Butler and Olivia DeJonge as Elvis and Priscilla in Luhrmann’s recent biopic.
Of course, there are many books that have received more than one film adaptation. For example, Stephen King’s “It” was made into a TV miniseries in 1990, and a two-part remake was adapted for the big screen in 2017 and 2019. However, “Priscilla” feels unnecessary and poorly thought out. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Priscilla, but something about this movie feels off, and it could very well be the horrid casting choices.
Anybody who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past four years knows about the hit TV show “Euphoria.” Even if you don’t tune in to watch every Sunday when HBO releases a new episode, you’ve most likely heard of the show. Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor known for playing one of the show’s male leads, Nate Jacobs. Aside from his role as Nate, Elordi also had a notable role in the Netflix film “The Kissing Booth,” playing the main character’s love interest, Noah Flynn. Elordi went on to reprise his role in two later films in the “The Kissing Booth” series, the most recent one released in 2021.
Now, Elordi is reported to be taking on the role of the King himself. Sofia Coppola will write and direct, and Cailee Spaeny will be playing the leading lady, Priscilla Presley.
I may be biased when I say that I absolutely hate this casting because in my book, no one could beat Austin Butler and Olivia DeJonge as Elvis and Priscilla in Luhrmann’s recent biopic. And I’m not the only one who feels this way.
There has been a lot of talk going on in fan spaces about the cast of “Priscilla.” One Twitter user, @austinsdaylight, posted a video of actor Dacre Montgomery, who also starred in Luhrmann’s “Elvis” biopic, discussing Butler’s performance as Elvis. In the video, Montgomery states that there’s “no one else meant to play Elvis Presley.”
Another user, @jamiebutlers, posted a link to an article titled “12 Sexy Pics of Jacob Elordi & Austin Butler: Who’s the Hottest Elvis?” In their caption, they wrote, “How is this even a question?” Another Twitter user, @giogiorabbit, posted the same link, instead captioning it with “Y’all are setting Jacob Elordi up by comparing him to Austin Butler.”
Overall, it seems as though many fans have been impacted by Butler’s performance as Elvis — myself included. It is hard to picture anyone else portraying the King, especially considering the fact that Luhrmann’s film was released so recently. Though these are just a few examples of people who have been disappointed by the news of the “Priscilla” film’s casting, a quick search of “Jacob Elordi Elvis” on Twitter brings up many more unhappy fans’ discussions. It isn’t just Elordi that’s the problem, either — many users have also commented on Spaeny being cast as Priscilla, saying that she cannot compare to DeJonge’s portrayal in “Elvis.”
It seems as though the news of this new film — despite its relevant subject matter — has upset fans rather than exciting them.
It seems as though the news of this new film — despite its relevant subject matter — has upset fans rather than exciting them. With the response the news has received thus far, it should be interesting to see how the situation plays out.
Despite its best intentions, making another Elvis movie immediately after a blockbuster biopic is not wise. Fans will inevitably compare the two films, and if “Priscilla” can’t measure up, it is doomed to fail. Only time will tell if Coppola and A24 can make “Priscilla” a new classic, or if it will be just a half-hearted effort that pales next to Luhrmann’s “Elvis.”
