New ‘Priscilla’ Trailer Shows Elvis Presley’s Creepy Side — and Fans Might Not Like It
It might surprise some classic rock fans to learn that the trailer for Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla doesn’t paint Elvis Presley in a flattering way. Despite this, one of the producers of the movie defended Elvis, saying he lived in “a different time.” The director of the film also said she could relate to its story.
The ‘Priscilla’ trailer shows a side of Elvis Presley we didn’t get from Baz Luhrmann
To some, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was a masterpiece, one of the most riveting rise-and-fall stories of recent years. To others, it was simple fluff, a feature-length commercial for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll at a time when his culture cache was waning. Regardless, the movie was clearly designed to appeal to Elvis’ fans. The movie depicted the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer in a light that was alternatively glamorous and sympathetically sad.
The trailer for Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla recently dropped, and it’s taking a decidedly different approach. It’s emphasizing the rock star’s darker side, such as his controlling nature and, most notoriously, the age gap between him and his bride-to-be. He was infamously 24 when he met Priscilla, who was 14.
The ‘Hound Dog’ singer’s former wife seems pretty forgiving
While Elvis courted the singer’s fandom, Priscilla does not. The singer’s fans probably don’t want to see their idol portrayed this way — even if the account is entirely factual. Of course, this is all speculation based on a trailer. Who knows how the final product will make the King look?
Priscilla herself was an executive producer for the film. During a 2023 interview with Variety, she seemed to explain away some of the more inflammatory aspects of Elvis’ life. “It was a different time,” she said. “I lived in his world. I wanted to please him. I wanted to fit in. I wanted to have fun with him. I wanted to see what it was that he liked.”
Why director Sofia Coppola said she could relate to Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s home life
Giving fans more insight into the film, Priscilla said she wanted Coppola to direct the biopic because of the director’s background. “I just got who she was and I felt that she could get me,” she said. “I thought, ‘We have different stories, but she could understand this better than any writer because she kind of lived it in her own way.'”
Coppola, the daughter of Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, said she could relate to Priscilla. “I know from my family what it’s like to be inside a show business family,” Coppola said. “I know that growing up, people are looking at you in a different way. And also living in a house with my dad, this big personality, a great artist, and a lot of our life revolving around that. And seeing my mom’s life, how she was trying to find her way within his, I could relate to that.”
While Priscilla doesn’t look like a movie for all Elvis fans, it’s coming from someone who feels she understands the material.
