Elvis Director Reveals Why He Won’t Release 4-Hour Director’s Cut Yet
One of the most hummed about films of this year might be Elvis, with the Baz Luhrmann-helmed drama having an impressive run when it debuted in the cinema world earlier this summer. The film offers a hurricane look at the existence of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) and his toxic dynamic with Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) — and as it turns out, there’s still a greater amount of that story left to be investigated. When Elvis was originally released, Luhrmann hinted that he originally shot four hours of footage, which ultimately resulted in the 2 hour and 39 minute-long finished film. In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Luhrmann addressed the possibility of him releasing the extended cut on the HBO Max streaming service — and revealed that he’s too “tired” for it to happen right away.
“Not presently, and not probably next year,” Luhrmann explained. “But I don’t close my psyche to the idea that in the future, there might be a way of investigating another [cut]. I’ve got to be really careful here, because the moment I put it out there… I tell you what, all my tweets are nothing but, ‘We want the four-hour version! We want the four-hour version!’ I think individuals are at my gates with pitchforks saying, ‘We want the four-hour version!’ But I don’t close my psyche to the idea that there would be an extended cut. Right now, with how long it’s stayed in the theaters and how well it’s finished, it’s crossed the line. But it’s excelled on HBO Max throughout the end of the week, so it’s about the parent company going, ‘Amazing, it’s really worth spending the cash.'”
“Because it isn’t just similar to I’ve got it, and you just put it out there,” Luhrmann continued. “Consistently in post-production, you have to do visual effects, grading, cutting, refining, and ADR sound. Dislike it’s just sitting there finished, and I can just push a button and it comes out. You’d have to get back in and work on it. To do an extended cut, you’d be dealing with it for another four or six months something. I’m not closed to it, but not currently. I’m a little bit on the tired side.”
Is Elvis on HBO Max?
Elvis arrived on HBO Max earlier this fall, hitting the platform on Friday, September 2nd. The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). The story delves into the perplexing dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning more than 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the advancing cultural landscape and loss of guiltlessness in America. Central to that excursion is quite possibly of the most significant and influential person in Elvis’ life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).