Baz Luhrmann’s Tom Hanks-starring Elvis film is set to shoot significant portions in Australia, it has been confirmed.
The currently untitled film, backed by Warner Bros., will explore the life and music of Elvis Presley, including his rise to fame, his unprecedented stardom, and his impact on the world. It will also delve into his complicated relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
Variety recently revealed that Hanks will play Parker. That information was confirmed Wednesday by Annastacia Palaszczuk, Premier and Minister for Trade, of the Australian state of Queensland. The state’s location attraction body, Screen Queensland said: “(Luhrmann) is casting a wide net for the actor to play Elvis.”
Palaszczuk said she was looking forward to welcoming the Warner Bros. production to Queensland’s world-class facilities, Village Roadshow Studios, on the Gold Coast. She said that an agreement to shoot in Queensland had been made after a recent meeting with Luhrmann in London. No schedule for a start of production was announced.
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Palaszczuk did not reveal details of any subsidy or incentive to be paid by the state to the film. But, in a statement, she said: “The production alone is expected to employ 900 Queenslanders in behind-the-scenes roles, including set construction, catering and transportation, and inject more than $105 million (US$74 million) into the local economy.”
Other Hollywood films that have recently shot in Queensland, include “Aquaman,” “Thor: Ragnarok.” So too did the upcoming “Dora the Explorer,” and the 2020 release “Godzilla vs Kong.”
“Australia continues to be one of the great filmmaking locations in the world, where we’ve created everything from Paris cabarets to the Jazz Age in New York,” Luhrmann said in a statement. “Along with (producer and costume designer, Catherine Martin) and my entire team, I am committed to not only making the film, but also developing Queensland’s creative culture and supporting filmmakers, storytellers and artists of all kinds, in the same manner that we ourselves were supported and mentored early in our careers.”