Priscilla Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot And More Details
It's official — the world has Elvis fever (again). The year 2022 gave audiences a deeper look at the musical icon with Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis." Starring Austin Butler in the titular role alongside Tom Hanks, the film impressed critics and cleaned house at the box office, shaking its way to $287 million worldwide. While the film gave audiences a deeper understanding of the King of Rock and Roll, a newly announced production will take a look at Elvis through a different lens.
Titled "Priscilla," the new film is based on the 1985 memoir "Elvis and Me" by Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, focusing on the relationship between the legendary power couple. But who will be starring as the king and the queen? Which Oscar winner is sitting in the director's chair? And when can we expect to see the drama play out on the screen? Well, here's what we know so far about the upcoming biographical drama "Priscilla."
When will Priscilla be released?
When can we expect to see the tale of Priscilla Presley and her love story with the most famous rocker of all time? Well, after filming wrapped in December 2022, the movie made its big debut at the Venice Film Festival in September 2023. The biopic received a seven-minute standing ovation, and shortly after it made serious waves at the festival, it got a 2023 release date. "Priscilla" is now set to bow on November 3, where it will compete against fellow biopic "Rustin" and the sci-fi drama "Foe." That's serious prestige season, meaning "Priscilla" will no doubt be a big-deal contender at the 96th Academy Awards.
What is the plot of Priscilla?
"Priscilla" is based on the 1985 biographical novel "Elvis and Me" written by Priscilla Ann Presley, the ex-wife of Elvis Presley. The book's description on GoodReads says, "Priscilla Presley tells the story of their love, revealing the details of their first meeting, their marriage, their affairs, their divorce, and the unbreakable bond that has remained long after his tragic death."
As for the film itself, the official plot synopsis lets us know what the drama has in store. "When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a gentle best friend. Through Priscilla's eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla's long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, in this deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy, and fame."
Interestingly, Sofia Coppola's upcoming film won't be the first film adaptation of the novel. Released in 1988, the book was adapted into a television film helmed by director Larry Peerce. The film would star "The Young and Restless" actress Susan Walters as Priscilla and "Pet Sematary" actor Dale Midkiff as Elvis.
Who is starring in Priscilla?
As Austin Butler showed us with "Elvis," it takes a special sort of actor to own the role of the King — and the same is definitely going to be true about Priscilla Presley. So who will play these two towering pop culture figures? Well, taking the titular role will be Cailee Spaeny. Audiences will recognize Spaeny for starring in 2018's "Pacific Rim: Uprising" as Amara Namani and the same year's "Bad Times at the El Royale" as Rose Summerspring. More recently, Spaeny starred in the 2021 mini-series "Mare of Easttown" alongside Kate Winslet and the 2022 Showtime series "The First Lady."
Starring as Elvis will be Jacob Elordi, who most will know as Nate Jacobs from the Emmy-winning HBO series "Euphoria" and Noah Flynn in Netflix's "The Kissing Booth" films. Elordi joined the cast after Coppola went through numerous actors for the coveted role, while Spaney had been on the "Marie Antoinette" director's mind from the start of the project. They'll be joined here by Emily Mitchell ("Women Talking"), Dagmara Domińczyk ("Succession"), Jorja Cadence ("Rabbit Hole"), Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll ("Ghosts"), and Luke Humphrey ("See").
Who is directing Priscilla?
Sofia Coppola comes from quite the prestigious Hollywood family, but she's managed to escape the shadow of her legendary father — Francis Ford Coppola of "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now" fame — and become a celebrated filmmaker in her own right. She broke onto the directing scene with the Kirsten Dunst-starring tragedy "The Virgin Suicides." She cemented herself as a filmmaking force with "Lost in Translation," starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, for which she earned an Oscar for best screenplay. Coppola also helmed films like "Marie Antoinette," "The Bling Ring," and "On the Rocks." Speaking with Vogue, Coppola revealed what drew her to the story, saying, "I was just so interested in Priscilla's story and her perspective on what it all felt like to grow up as a teenager in Graceland. She was going through all the stages of young womanhood in such an amplified world — kinda similar to Marie Antoinette."
Per Variety, Coppola will be reteaming with several of her most loyal collaborators behind the camera. This includes Oscar-nominated cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd ("The Beguiled"), costume designer Stacey Battat ("The Bling Ring"), and editor Sarah Flack ("Marie Antoinette"), as well as "Nightmare Alley" production designer Tamara Deverell.
Who is producing Priscilla?
Sofia Coppola's new film will be diving deep into the life of Priscilla Presley, drawing its story from the woman's actual autobiography. What could get more authoritative than that? Well, how about having the subject of the film herself actually be involved with production? That's right — Priscilla Presley is an executive producer on the film.
Speaking with Vogue, Coppola elaborated on working with Presley, saying, "I've met with her a few times, and she's been incredibly open. She's also been really supportive of Cailee [Spaeny] as we head into filming. It's really unique to talk to her about the film since I've never made something about a real person who was still living — 'The Bling Ring' aside. But I want it to feel emotionally authentic. She's probably told these stories a million times, so I feel grateful that she's been so patient. It's amazing how much detail she can recall from that time in her life."
Is there a trailer for Priscilla?
The teaser trailer for "Priscilla" is a 45-second look at longing and heartache, giving us glimpses of how a young Priscilla Presley first meets the King of Rock and Roll and falls under his hip-swaying spell. As the teaser speeds by, we see them during their most intimate moments, from making love to saying their goodbyes, and we witness the spectrum of human emotion, from ecstasy to tragedy, all in less than a minute.
The official trailer delves a bit deeper into the romance between Priscilla and Elvis, one that starts out full of passion and mystery, with the rock and roll god sweeping the much younger girl off her feet. However, as the trailer continues, we see that being married to an icon isn't all it's cracked up to be. We watch as Elvis starts to control Priscilla's appearance, and we witness our young protagonist dealing with her husband's extramarital affairs and outbursts of rage. "I want a life of my own," we hear her say as the trailer ends, promising a tragic romance filled with celebrity and sadness.
What is Priscilla rated?
Like most films released during the latter part of the year — where studios are hoping for awards and are releasing their big prestige pictures — "Priscilla" will be rated R. In addition to the serious cred that comes with that rating, there's a good reason the biopic is only for adults. "Priscilla" is rated R for "drug use and some language." The drug use should come as no shock, as Elvis Presley famously struggled with addiction. The trailer itself gives us a glimpse of Priscilla taking some sort of pill, and we can also imagine that quite a few curse words will be hurled around as the couple's romance deteriorates.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
How will Priscilla differ from Baz Luhrmann's Elvis?
Elvis Presley has always been a major cultural touchstone, but in 2022, he gyrated his way back into the modern-day mainstream thanks to Baz Luhrmann. The bombastic director teamed up with Austin Butler for the biopic "Elvis," earning both the filmmaker and the actor plenty of plaudits from critics and awards bodies. So with "Priscilla" coming out so soon after "Elvis," how will the two films differ?
Speaking to Vogue, director Sofia Coppola explained that her film would focus less on Elvis Presley himself, instead relegating him to side character status while turning its attention to Priscilla. "I think Baz is so unique," Coppola said, "and his take on that story was so creative. But Priscilla is such a minor character in that film, so I never felt like I was treading on the same territory. ... There are some aspects of Elvis' career included, but it all sort of plays out in the background of their relationship and her developing identity."
As for Luhrmann himself, he seems pretty psyched about Coppola's take on the two real-life figures. In fact, he's even talked to her about the movie. "All I did was reach out to her, we just had a quick hello," Luhrmann told People. "I just said good luck with it and can't wait to see it. But I'm available. If she's got any questions, I'm available."