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 PM
| Updated Feb 17, 2022 7:22 PM
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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. 

Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan

The Wonka star played the legendary folk singer-songwriter in the film A Complete Unknown.

Lily James as Pamela Anderson

The English actress transformed into the Baywatch icon in the Hulu series Pam & Tommy.

Sebastian Stan as Tommy Lee

The actor dropped jaws after showing off his epic makeover as the Mötley Crüe rocker for the Hulu series Pam & Tommy.

Christian Serratos as Selena Quintanilla

The actress portrayed the late Tejano star for the Netflix show Selena: The Series.

Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly

The Oscar winner had fans doing a double-take in Bombshell, in which she played Fox News alum who helped take down Roger Ailes' career after he was accused of sexual misconduct. 

Andra Day as Billie Holiday

The actress earned her first Golden Globe win in 2021 for her role as the iconic singer in the biopic The United States Vs. Billie Holiday.

Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding

The Australia native produced and starred in I, Tonya, a 2017 movie based on the disgraced figure skater's life.

Taron Egerton as Elton John

In 2019's Rocketman, the British actor played one of the most iconic musicians in the history of rock 'n' roll.

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.

Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin

The singer took on the Queen of Soul in 2021's Respect.

Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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

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.

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

The actress 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," Odette told E! News of her Astronaut Wives Club character, who was an extremely skilled pilot in her own right. "It's such an honor to play her."

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.

YaYa DaCosta as Whitney Houston

The actress and model played the late legendary singer in a Lifetime biopic.

Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking

The Les Misérables heartthrob won the Oscar after portraying Hawking in Theory of Everything.

Katie Holmes as Jacqueline Kennedy

In The Kennedys miniseries, the Dawson's Creek alum channeled the former First Lady and one of America's most fashionable public figures.

Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly

The Oscar-winning actress stepped into the regal shoes of the Hollywood legend turned princess for Grace of Monaco.

Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh

The Marvel star played Jamie Lee Curtis' famous mom in Hitchcock, which focused on the making of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.

Agnes Bruckner as Anna Nicole Smith

The former Private Pactice starlet portrayed the late Playboy model in the Lifetime biopic The Anna Nicole Story.

Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs

The That '70s Show alum played the late Apple co-founder in the indie flick Jobs.

Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt

The Aussie actor portrayed the Formula 1 race car driver in Ron Howard's biopic Rush.

Naomi Watts as Valerie Plame Wilson

The actress starred alongside Sean Penn as the outed CIA agent in the thriller Fair Game.

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