Elvis Presley movie UPDATE: What’s happening to biopic after Tom Hanks’ coronavirus news

March 23, 2020

Elvis Presley’s life is set to be explored by The Great Gatsby and Romeo + Juliet director Baz Lurhmann. However, after actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, work on the movie was brought to a halt. Sharing a statement with his 59,000 Twitter followers, the director gave Elvis fans an update on the film.

Lurhmann said they would not be resuming work on the biopic now, amid the ongoing spread of the coronavirus pandemic, but assured them they would return to it once it was appropriate and safe to do so,

“I’m sure it will come as no surprise that this is not the moment to be resuming production on the film,” he said.

“Please know this is in no way a reflection on our commitment to make this movie here in Queensland.

“In fact, we are not even taking our sets down, simply locking up the creative space over the next few days,” he added.

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“I have spoken to the premier, Annastacia Palasczczuk, and we all agree that right now, this is the right time for people all over the world, from all walks of life, to be at home, indoors, with their loved ones (washing our hands five times a day),” Lurhmann continued.

“All going well, we have a passionate conviction to be back here on the Gold Coast, picking up where we left off as soon as the time is right.”

Tom and his wife Rita were quarantined in their home in Australia after testing positive for coronavirus earlier this month.

They were in Australia for pre-production on the Elvis biopic, in which the Forrest Gump star is playing the King’s manager Colonel Tom Parker.

The actor first told fans they had tested positive for COVID-19 on March 12, saying they had felt tired and had colds and body aches.

“Rita had some chills that came and went,” he wrote on Instagram. “Slight fevers too.”

At the time, he said they would be following the protocols put in place by medical officials and would be “tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires”.

At the weekend, Tom updated his Twitter followers on their condition, saying: “Two weeks after our first symptoms and we feel better.”

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He also urged people to stay at home and socially distance in order to help curb the spread of the virus and ease pressure on medical resources, hospitals and emergency services.

“Sheltering in place works like this: You don’t give it to anyone – you don’t get it from anyone,” he said. “Common sense, no?

“Going to take a while, but if we take care of each other, help where we can, and give up some comforts… this, too, shall pass. We can figure this out.”

Pre-production on the Elvis movie began in January with October 1, 2021 set as the release date.

It’s not yet known if the film will come out on schedule after being forced to shut down pre-production due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The biopic will feature Austin Butler as Elvis and focus on the life of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll before it was tragically cut short in 1977.

Austin is known as a Nickledeon star and for appearing in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Olivia DeJonge will be playing Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley.

The movie will follow Elvis’ life over the course of 20 years, including “Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and the loss of innocence in America”.

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