Baz Luhrmann finds his Elvis Presley: Austin Butler nabs coveted role

Warner Bros. has officially crowned its King of Rock ’n’ Roll.

According to Deadline, director Baz Luhrmann has cast “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood” actor Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in his upcoming biopic about the late musician, after reportedly considering a star-studded lineup of candidates including Harry Styles, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Following a trend of rockin’ blockbusters such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Rocketman,” the movie will chronicle crucial moments in Presley’s career, documenting his ascension to icon status. “Toy Story 4” star Tom Hanks is also set to appear in the film as Presley’s longtime manager, Col. Tom Parker.

Luhrmann has a history of helming musical projects, from 2001’s “Moulin Rouge!” to Netflix’s 2016 hip-hop-inspired series “The Get Down.” The director provided Deadline with a statement on his decision to cast Butler, whom he discovered “from his stand-out role opposite Denzel Washington in ‘The Iceman Cometh’ on Broadway, and through a journey of extensive screen testing and music and performance workshops.”

Some of Butler’s more recent acting credits include the buzzy Adam Driver-Bill Murray zombie flick “The Dead Don’t Die,” Netflix’s “Dude” and Spike’s “The Shannara Chronicles.”

“High School Musical” alum Vanessa Hudgens celebrated news of her boyfriend’s casting Monday on Instagram, writing, “I AMMMM OVERRRR THE... MOOOOOOOOONNNNN. I CANT WAIT 😍😍😍😍😍😍 SO PROUD OF MY HONEYYYYY!!!”

Warner Bros. has yet to announce a release date or title for the film.