Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM MAGAZINE
The genesis of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert traces back to the making of Luhrmann’s 2022 Elvis, starring Austin Butler. During production, Luhrmann’s team embarked on a quest for rumored unseen footage from Elvis’s iconic 1970s concert films, Elvis: That’s the Way It Is and Elvis on Tour. Researchers delved into Warner Bros. vaults buried in underground salt mines in Kansas, uncovering an astonishing 69 boxes containing 59 hours of never-before-seen film negative. Additionally, Angie Marchese, VP of Archives and Exhibits at Graceland, unearthed previously unreleased Super 8 footage from the Graceland archives.
Restoring this material took over two years, transforming poor-quality bootlegs into pristine, high-definition projections. The team meticulously reconstructed sound from unconventional sources and discovered unheard recordings of Elvis speaking candidly about his life and music—from his 1970 Vegas shows and 1972 tours to precious moments from his 1957 “gold jacket” performance in Hawaii.
These discoveries proved too extraordinary to limit to a redux of prior works. Luhrmann envisioned something bolder: a film that isn’t a traditional documentary or concert movie, but a dreamscape cinematic poem where Elvis narrates and performs his own story. Collaborating with experts like Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production team, the project brings this archival footage to unprecedented clarity for the big screen—without relying on AI illusions, but through meticulous human craftsmanship applied to authentic originals.
A World Tour Elvis Never Had
In the interview, Luhrmann expresses deep gratification at seeing audiences react to EPiC as if attending a live Elvis concert. He notes how the film fulfills the global tour Elvis dreamed of but never completed—performances in England, Japan, and beyond—now realized posthumously through restored footage. “Elvis says in the film he’s telling his own story… he just went round and round and around and never did that tour,” Luhrmann says. “It’s been gratifying to see him doing the world tour he never had.”
He highlights the film’s power to shift perceptions, especially for younger viewers who often associate Elvis with his later years or caricature images (the jumpsuit, the glasses). Instead, EPiC presents him as vibrant, young, godlike yet profoundly human—funny, experimental, and boundary-free in his musical tastes, covering Bob Dylan and Beatles songs without prejudice.
Luhrmann emphasizes the emotional impact: audiences leave “exalted,” ready to face the week, having experienced something special in just 96 minutes. He urges fans to sing and dance along, keeping “the big man on the big screen” for potential future projects.
Advice from a Master Storyteller
When asked for guidance to aspiring filmmakers who want to tell stories in a bold, colorful, loud style like his, Luhrmann offers straightforward wisdom: “Don’t wait for permission.” He encourages young creators to grab an iPhone, team up with friends, write, and start making—no boxes, no approval needed. Echoing Elvis himself, he says, “I just do what I feel and I just tell stories the way I feel it.”
On the discipline required for massive projects like this, Luhrmann describes getting “match fit”—balancing a full life for inspiration with rigorous focus when working. He feels responsible to his team, believers in the project, and most importantly, the audience whose precious time he holds in his hands.
Why EPiC Matters Now
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert weaves unseen footage with iconic performances through classic and contemporary musical prisms, creating a leap of musical imagination and a tribute to one of history’s greatest performers. It’s a companion to the 2022 biopic, but stands alone as a raw, intimate revival—Elvis singing and telling his story like never before.
As Luhrmann puts it, audiences who didn’t care about Elvis before are converted, saying, “Wow, who is this guy? I really love this guy.” In an era of endless content, this film reminds us why the King endures: his humanity, his voice, his power to move souls across generations.
Catch EPiC in IMAX starting February 20, 2026, then everywhere February 27. Sing along, dance, and let Elvis take you on the ride he always promised.
