Months after the release of Elvis in theaters, director Baz Luhrmann continues to tease a four-hour extended cut. As it stands, Elvis is a fairly lengthy film, clocking in at 159 minutes. But trimming the theatrical cut down to that running time meant leaving hours of Austin Butler’s concert footage on the cutting room floor. While that was necessary for a theatrical release, Luhrmann apparently cannot stop thinking about a longer version of Elvis that would restore these full concerts, allowing fans to enjoy complete performances of Butler channeling the King of Rock ’n Roll.
This was something Luhrmann spoke about directly with IndieWire while at the Gotham Awards. He says he is committing to his promise of one day releasing an extended version of Elvis, and one main reason for that is he wants fans to see what it’s like to watch the full concerts with Butler. While we don’t see this in the theatrical cut, Butler had gone so far as to do “all the numbers” for the concerts, and Luhrmann describes watching the full show as an “out of body experience.” As the filmmaker explains:
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Austin Butler has garnered great praise for his role as Elvis Presley in Elvis. There are many who want to see him nominated for an Oscar, feeling convinced by his portrayal as the legendary singer. The film was also a big hit at the box office and drew high viewership upon its arrival on HBO Max, which would help the four-hour cut’s chances of one day seeing the light as Luhrmann is promising.
Co-starring Tom Hanks, Elvis follows the rise and demise of Elvis Presley as seen through the point of view of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The film also stars Olivia DeJonge, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Kelvin Harrison Jr., David Wenham, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
For more of Butler, fans can also see the Elvis star make his Saturday Night Live hosting debut this month. He will host the Dec. 17 episode, which will be the final episode of the year.
