Biopics have been the rage for a while now in the film world. That trend leaves the question of when this century's biggest stars will get their own film adaptation. Muhammad Ali (the biggest sports figure of the...ever), so we're curious why Hollywood hasn't been scrambling to make huge profits off of John Lennon or Michael Jackson biopics.
The good news (or bad news, depending on how you view it) is that an Elvis Presley biopic is reportedly in the works from Warner Brothers Pictures. The studio's reportedly been in talks with director Baz Luhrmann for a while now, but more telling is the fact that the company recently secured the entire music catalogue.
No casting rumors yet, but Kelly Marcel has reportedly been brought on to do the script, and there isn't any word as to whether it will be a story encompassing the entirety of the King's life, or if it will focus in on a particular era. There have been plenty of movies made about Presley since his death during 1977. There was a television biopic titled Elvis during 1979, but most movies have taken a more humorous "approach" to Presley's life. Notable are Chris Columbus's 1988 comedy Heartbreak Hotel (about the singer's fake kidnapping) and 2002 cult classic Bubba Ho-Tep, which features the King fighting an ancient mummy.
Luhrmann has a history of making music a key part of his productions, even if the narrative doesn't call for it. Moulin Rouge has many a musical moment of course, but 2013's The Great Gatsby put unusual emphasis on its soundtrack. That film made off like a bandit at the box office, so Warner Brothers probably doesn't care if Jay Z makes an appearance in Luhrmann's Elvis film, either.
