Jacob Elordi is portraying the role of the “King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley, in the 2023 biopic ‘Priscilla’, which gained him positive reviews from critics.
Filmmaker Sofia Coppola’s romance-drama film debuted at the prestigious Venice Film Festival over the weekend. According to Pop Buzz, ‘Priscilla’ “tells the story of Priscilla Presley’s controversial relationship with Elvis Presley, and it explores the power dynamics of their romance. Priscilla met Elvis when she was 14 years old, and he was 24.”
Now for the critics’ reviews… Elordi’s portrayal of Elvis was inevitably compared to Austin Butler who played the “King of Rock and Roll” in the 2022 blockbuster film ‘Elvis’. In fact, Owen Gleiberman from Variety wrote:
“the 26-year-old Australian actor from “Euphoria” and the “Kissing Booth” films, doesn’t look all that much like him. Yet his louche body language is perfect, and what he does with Elvis’s voice brings him closer to being a dead ringer than (in my opinion) Austin Butler was.”
“Elordi showcases an immediately convincing take on Elvis that is more human and heartsick than Austin Butler’s performance ever was,” IndieWire‘s David Ehrlich noted.
Jack King from GQ also explained:
“Elordi is quieter [and] subtler [than Austin] but you never think he’s not the King.
This is all to say that Elordi’s version of Elvis is distinct from Butler’s turn — iconoclastic and less reverential, but it could be similarly awardsy.”
“Coming just over a year after Austin Butler put a memorable stamp on the role in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, Elordi finds his own way into the character, pouring seductive charm and undeniable magnetism into the sad eyes and sleepy speech patterns. But he never shies away from the more off-putting traits — the fits of pique, the petulance, the evasiveness and dishonesty,” The Hollywood Reporter‘s David Rooney expressed.
Meanwhile, Elordi opened up about the comparisons with Butler, stating:
“I was really really lucky to be working with Sofia who put my fears at ease immediately. There’s no real space to be daunted or afraid. You want a challenge and this certainly was it.”
‘Priscilla’ is set to be released in cinemas on October 27.
Sources: popbuzz.com, variety.com, hollywoodreporter.com
So, with Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe coming out this weekend, are we going to ignore the fact that a movie is ABOUT to be released in a lot more theaters than any of the other recent movies written about by Instinct, such as this one or the other Elordi film (which, yes, will eventually get into more theaters, but still), or even the Pet Shop movie which will definitely be released in a lot LESS theaters?