COVID-19 has halted another Hollywood project. The Untitled Elvis Presley Biopic, directed by Baz Luhrmann & starring Tom Hanks & Austin Butler, has suspended production indefinitely after Hanks was struck with a positive test for the coronavirus last week.
Luhrmann confirmed the news via his official Twitter page and the Australian director made it a point to say that “now is not the moment to be resuming production on the film.” but he continued with “All going well, we have a passionate conviction to be back here on the Gold Coast, picking up where we left off as soon as the time is right.” You can check out the tweet here:
— Baz Luhrmann (@bazluhrmann) March 20, 2020
The move comes as principal photography was due to start next week. The biopic was in preproduction on Australia’s Gold Coast when Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19, making them the first A-listers to publicly admit to testing positive for the virus. The couple has since been released from the hospital and is self-isolating at a rented home in Australia.
This certainly sounded like one hell of a project so I hope once all this blows over they can get back to making the film. Newcomer Austin Butler will play Presley in the biopic with Hanks set to play Col. Tom Parker, the manager who controlled every aspect of Presley’s life. Australian actress Olivia DeJonge will portray Priscilla Presley while Maggie Gyllenhaal was cast as Gladys Presley, the singer’s mother.
The film was slated for release in October 2021 and it’s not yet known if it can keep the October date and it will all come down to when they can actually get back to work. It’s a dark time in Hollywood right now and everything feels like it’s at a standstill so we just have to play these things by ear and simply hope for the best.
