When Baz Luhrmann’sElvisbiopic hit theaters last year, many were quick to praise Austin Butler’s incredible performance as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and question Tom Hanks’s questionable accent for the Colonel. While the film gave audiences a look into the personal life of Elvis at breakneck speeds, there was one looming, dark shadow that shrouded his love life, which the film chose to ignore… his problematic relationship with Priscilla Presley. However, that shrouding aspect of The King’s life is hitting the big screen in Sofia Coppola’sPriscilla.
Priscillalooks to tell the story of ‘the woman behind the man,’ painting a new picture of Priscilla Presley and highlighting her individual struggles, aspirations, and life outside of her relationship with Elvis Presley. The first full-length trailer also confirms that Coppola’sPriscillabiopic will also incorporate the most problematic of Elvis’s many controversies, which Luhrmann’sElviscontroversially ignored, toportray Elvis in a more positive light, while highlighting Colonel Tom Parker as the true antagonist in Elvis’s personal and professional life.
Elvis and Priscilla’s Relationship Was Fraught With Controversy
Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship and marriage was, in the eyes of the public, picture perfect and the aspiration of women across the world at the time. However, what many people at the time didn’t know, or just blatantly ignored, was thedamning age differencebetween the two. An age gap in itself isn’t shameful, but Priscilla was only 14 at the time she met Elvis, who was then 24. When asked about it in interviews, Elvis would always answer that he was “respectful” of her age when they met.
Priscilla First Reactions Praise Sofia Coppola’s Intimate Look at Priscilla Presley
Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla premiered at the Venice Film Festival to overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Were a famous pop star to come out in the news tomorrow to announce their romantic relationship with a 14-year-old, it’s almost a surefire bet that their career would be over in an instant. However, thepublic reception to Elvisand Priscilla’s relationship during the King’s reign over the music world was vastly different. Firstly, it wasn’t until several years into Priscilla and Elvis’s courtship that it was announced to the public, with Priscilla being 21 by that time.
When the news later broke that Elvis and Priscilla met when she was just 14, both parties were very adamant in their public appearances and interviews that “nothing was going on,” and their relationship was more of a friendship until the pair got married in 1967, which was then reportedly the first time the couple slept together.
In a sad and slightly shocking twist, what was controversial about Elvis’s relationship back in the day wouldn’t even be a thought in modern society, especially compared to what modern audiences now find problematic. When Elvis and Priscilla announced their relationship, the biggest and only controversy about the pair was that they were living together out of wedlock. As a result, the Colonel – played by Tom Hanks inElvis– reportedly pressured the two to marry as soon as possible to quell anypotential impact on Elvis’s public image.
Sofia Coppola Is Exposing Priscilla’s Story
Adapting Priscilla Presley’s memoirElvis and Me, Sofia Coppola’sPriscillaexplores her relationship with Elvis from her often disregarded perspective. The film will seemingly spend most of its runtime exploring the breakdown in their relationship as Priscilla begins to seek more agency over her own life outside of Elvis’s influence and public image as she grows older.
After debuting at festivals like the Venice Film Festival and London Film Festival, the first reviews have described Sofia Coppola’s biopic as an all-seeing exploration of the toxicity caused by the blending of young love and unfiltered fame.Priscillaalso reportedly dives head firstinto the dark shadow that looms over their relationship, with the trailer featuring lines like “she’s much more mature than her age” in a suspiciously ominous tone.
Best Priscilla Presley Performances, Ranked
Priscilla Presley has given many memorable performances over her 40-year career.
As well as the controversial age gap,Priscillawill also examine and dissect the exploitative, multifaceted power imbalance within their relationship, caused by Elvis’s uncontrollable fame, their age gap, gender roles within relationships during the time period, and the reported shift in Elvis’s personality as his fame and influence grew.
A standout scene from the trailer sees Elvis influencing Priscilla’s style, including her hair, make-up, and clothes, with no regard for her choice. This scene is used to flip the tonal coin, as the trailer then begins to teasingly unravel Priscilla’s discovery and exploration of her own agency outside of her toxic relationship.
Produced by A24, Sofia Coppola’sPriscillais set to release on August 25, 2025, with Cailee Spaeny (On the Basis of Sex) portraying the titular figure andJacob Elordi (Euphoria)playing the darker Elvis Presley.Priscillaalso currently sits at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviews and critics pushing for Spaeny to receive a Best Actress nomination at next year’s Academy Awards.
