Elvis Presley Biopic Coming Soon

It has been over 35 years since his death, but musical icon Elvis Presley has yet to have his real-life story tackled in a feature film (although it has for the small screen). Director John Scheinfeld, known for his well-received music documentaries WHO IS HARRY NILSSON (AND WHY IS EVERYBODY TALKIN’ ABOUT HIM) and THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON, has signed on to helm FAME & FORTUNE, a film adaptation of former Presley bodyguard Sonny West’s 2007 book ELVIS: STILL TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS. West was one of Presley’s main confidants during the period of 1960 to 1976, when Presley was at the height of his fame but began his slow downward spiral due to drug abuse and eating disorders. The film will chronicle the life of “The King” from the perspective of his bodyguard, creating a human story akin to last year’s Oscar winner THE KING’S SPEECH. Presley’s estate, notoriously careful about preserving a positive image of the showman, is not currently involved in the project but the director is hoping that they will be shortly, so that Scheinfeld can have access to images and songs associated with the music icon. The big question now is who will be cast to play the celebrated singer, who ages from 25 to 42 in the film. Actors Kurt Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers have previously played Presley in two notable television productions. The director has suggested that he will probably want to cast an unknown actor in the part rather than a recognizable name. He is currently conducting a worldwide search to find the perfect actor.

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