- [Tiffany] Tom Hanks is in negotiations
to star in an untitled
Elvis Presley biopic
that's being made by Baz
Luhrmann for Warner Brothers.
But Hanks won't play the King himself.
If a deal is made, the
Oscar winner will play
Colonel Tom Parker, the legendary manager
who controlled every
aspect of Elvis' life.
An actor to portray
Presley has not been cast
and insiders say a
search has not yet begun.
This is the latest movie
project from Luhrmann,
the filmmaker behind Moulin Rouge.
He's producing the feature
with wife Catherine Martin.
The two have been developing the project
since the director wrapped
2013's The Great Gatsby.
Luhrmann wrote the
script with Craig Pearce
with whom he also wrote
Gatsby and Moulin Rouge.
Now the movie is described
as focusing on Presley's rise and zenith,
with a major aspect being his relationship
with Colonel Parker.
Parker was a scrappy, Dutch-born hustler
who never became a citizen
and gained his rank of
colonel as an honorary title.
He was struggling as a music manager
when he came across
Presley in the mid-1950s
and was blown away by
the young man's talent.
Over the course of two years,
he paid off all of their
agents and managers
in the singer's life to chart himself
as his exclusive rep.
A fall shoot is being eyed,
giving Hanks plenty of time to prepare.
As for upcoming projects,
the actor will be seen in 2019's
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,
where he stars as TV icon Mr. Fred Rogers.
For more on this story, head to THR.com.
Until next time, for The
Hollywood Reporter News,
I'm Tiffany Taylor.
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