Prepare to Be All Shook Up By Austin Butler's Elvis Transformation

One for the money. Two for the show. Don't miss out on Austin Butler's incredible transformation into the King of Rock and Roll in the new trailer for Baz Luhrmann's musical biopic Elvis.

By Emlyn Travis Feb 17, 2022 7:25 PMTags
Watch: Austin Butler on Playing Elvis: "Truly the Privilege of a Lifetime"

Wise men say only fools rush in, but we can't help falling in love with the new Elvis trailer.

The upcoming Elvis Presley biopic dropped its first official trailer on Thursday, Feb. 17 and highlighted Austin Butler's stunning transformation into the iconic King of Rock and Roll—hip thrusts, southern accent, mutton chops and all.  

But he's not just putting on a show—that really is Butler singing "Suspicious Minds," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Unchained Melody" in the trailer.

"When I began the process, I set out to get my voice to be identical. That instills fear. So that got the fire burning," Butler said at a virtual press conference for the film, per The Hollywood Reporter. "For a year before we started shooting, I was doing voice coaching." 

Creator Baz Luhrmann explained that the film features Butler's voice as a young Elvis and a blend of his and Presley's voices for his older iteration. You can watch Butler's performance in full here

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The musical, set to be released in theaters on Jun. 24, will explore "the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks)," per a press release.  

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

It continued, "The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley's rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America." 

When sharing the trailer online, Luhrmann made a reference to Elvis' often-used motto: "Taking Care of Business," tweeting, "Without further ado, it's time to TCB [lightning emoji] So here's the trailer made with TLC." 

The director added, "@AustinButler and @TomHanks star in @ElvisMovie… See you at the movies!" 

Until then, take a look back at some other incredible actor transformations, including Sebastian Stan as rocker Tommy Lee, Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin and more below. 

Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball

The Oscar-winning actress plays the late I Love Lucy star in Aaron Sorkin's film Being the Ricardos.

Lily James as Pamela Anderson

The English actress transformed into one of Hollywood's most celebrated sex symbols, Pamela Anderson, for the upcoming Hulu miniseries, Pam & Tommy.

Sebastian Stan as Tommy Lee

The actor dropped jaws after showing off his epic makeover as the Mötley Crüe rock star, Tommy Lee. Sebastian will play the musician for the new Hulu miniseries, Pam & Tommy.

Christian Serratos as Selena Quintanilla

The actress portrayed the late Tejano star and Mexican American legend, Selena Quintanilla, for the Netflix show, Selena: The Series.

Andra Day as Billie Holiday

Andra Day earned her first Golden Globe win for her role as the iconic singer in the biopic, The United States Vs. Billie Holiday.

Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly

The Oscar winner and chameleon extraordinaire had fans doing a double-take when the trailer for Bombshell first premiered. In it, Charlize stars alongside Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie as the Fox News employees who helped take Roger Ailes' career down after he was accused of sexual misconduct. 

Taron Egerton as Elton John

In Rocketman, the British actor played one of the most iconic musicians in the history of rock 'n' roll.

Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers

The actor played the late Fred Rogers in the 2019 movie You Are My Friend.

Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin

The singer and actress will take on the role of playing the Queen of Soul in an upcoming biopic about her life. It's set to release in August 2021.

Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg

After Natalie Portman dropped out, Felicity stepped in to play the late Supreme Court Justice in On the Basis of Sex, a biopic directed by Mimi Leder.

Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding

The actress produced and starred in I, Tonya, based on the disgraced figure skater's life.

Anthony Mackie as Martin Luther King Jr.

The actor played the civil rights leader opposite Bryan Cranston as President Lyndon B. Johnson in HBO's All the Way.

Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford

The Oscar winner stepped into the shoes of the late movie legend in Feud, Ryan Murphy's FX series about the making of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis

The Dead Man Walking star played the acting legend in Feud.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison

The Oscar-nominated actor portrayed the famed inventor of the light bulb in Current War.

Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams

The British actor starred as the late country singer in the 2015 film, I Saw the Light.

Johnny Flynn as David Bowie

The Lovesick star played the late rock legend in the 2020 biopic, Stardust

Parker Sawyers as Barack Obama

Parker Sawyers played the former president in Southside With You, a romantic dramedy loosely based on Barack's first date with Michelle Obama back in 1989.

Tika Sumpter as Michelle Obama

Tika Sumpter starred as the former First Lady in Southside With You.

Odette Annable as Trudy Cooper

"She was a groundbreaking woman, so ahead of her time. It's such an honor to play her," Odette previously told E! News of her Astronaut Wives Club character, who was an extremely skilled pilot in her own right.

Kerry Washington as Anita Hill

The Scandal star took on the role of the aide who accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual assault in 1991 in HBO's biopic Confirmation.

Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc

The Oscar nominee starred in The Founder, a biopic about the founder of the McDonald's empire.

Selma Blair as Kris Jenner

The Kardashians are headed to TV in a very different after being portrayed in Ryan Murphy's American Crime Story: The People V O.J. Simpson. Selma Blair played Kris Jenner, who was married to Simpson's attorney Robert Kardashian.

David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian

The Friends actor portrayed the late Kardashian patriarch in FX's American Crime Story.

Jack O'Connell as Alexander McQueen

The Unbroken star was set to take on the role of the late designer in a film about his life. However, in 2020, it was announced he is being replaced.

John Travolta as Robert Shapiro

Travolta starred as O.J. Simpson's lawyer in FX's American Crime Story.

Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe

The Oscar winner played the transgender pioneer in The Danish Girl.

Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs

The Irish hunk stepped into the Apple co-founder's shoes in Danny Boyles' biopic.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing

In The Imitation Game, the Sherlock star took on the role of the English mathematician who helped crack the German Enigma code during World War II.

David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr.

The British actor portrayed the iconic civil rights activist in the film Selma, which chronicled his crusade for equal voting rights.

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