It’s not every year that the King of Rock and Roll returns to the big screen, but 2026 is proving to be a landmark moment for Elvis Presley fans worldwide. Baz Luhrmann, the visionary Australian director known for his dazzling cinematic spectacles, has unveiled his latest project, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, setting off a global celebration of Presley’s enduring influence and musical legacy. The film’s journey from the archives to IMAX theaters has been nothing short of, well, epic.
Luhrmann’s passion for the project was clear when he joined the Rolling Stone Uncut podcast from his native Sydney, discussing the lengths he and his team went to in order to unearth rare footage of Presley’s legendary Las Vegas residency and U.S. tour. According to Rolling Stone, Luhrmann described sending an archivist into actual salt mines—where MGM’s most precious reels are stored—to track down boxes of forgotten film. “It was really budget… we sent this guy out looking for it in actual salt mines where all MGM stuff is kept so that the negative doesn’t rot. I get the numbers wrong, but like 64 boxes, 57 hours of the Vegas concerts, which were shot over six nights,” Luhrmann recalled. The result? A treasure trove of unseen performances, candid moments, and the King at his most raw and electric.
But the film is more than just a concert replay. Luhrmann’s approach blends cutting-edge technology, a full orchestra, and his signature flair to create an immersive experience that’s part documentary, part live concert, and—above all—an intimate portrait of Elvis told in his own words. As Luhrmann explained, “When we heard the audio, the thing with Elvis is any people who are always talking about him, are talking heads. I said, ‘What if there were no talking heads? What if Elvis just sort of came to you in a sort of dreamscape and spoke and sang his story to you in his own words?’”
The director spent 18 months working out of an office at Graceland, Presley’s storied Memphis home, while researching for his 2022 biopic Elvis. It was during this period that he stumbled upon never-before-seen Super 8 personal videos and a staggering 59 hours of forgotten footage from Elvis: That’s the Way It Is—the film chronicling Presley’s 1970 Las Vegas Summer Festival—and his 1972 road concert film, Elvis on Tour. According to Ster-Kinekor, the South African cinema chain hosting exclusive IMAX screenings, Luhrmann’s ‘aha’ moment came when he discovered audio of Elvis speaking “very unguardedly about his life, which he never did.” The film’s 96-minute runtime features more than 70 musical performances, including covers and classics, making it a must-see for fans both old and new.
The film’s rollout has been as grand as its subject. After a buzzworthy debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert made a historic return to Las Vegas, screening for free at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino—the very stage where Elvis once reigned. As BroadwayWorld reported, the event was a powerful homecoming, with Westgate’s President & General Manager, Cami Christensen, noting, “To debut Baz Luhrmann’s newest Elvis film in the very theater where Elvis transformed Las Vegas entertainment is profoundly special. Westgate is honored to welcome fans from around the world back to the home of Elvis for this extraordinary event.” The sense of nostalgia and pride was palpable as applause once again filled the storied venue, nearly 50 years after Presley’s final performance there.
From February 20, the film will screen exclusively in IMAX at select Ster-Kinekor cinemas in South Africa for one week, before a wider 2D release begins on February 27. NEON, the U.S. distributor, will also launch the film in IMAX on February 20 with a nationwide rollout to follow. According to NEON, the company has a strong track record, boasting 39 Academy Award nominations and 11 wins over the past eight years. The film’s production is a collaboration between Bazmark (Luhrmann’s studio), Sony Music Vision, and Authentic Studios—a division of Authentic Brands Group, which manages Presley’s estate.
The excitement isn’t limited to North America and South Africa. London’s BFI IMAX cinema hosted the UK premiere on February 12, drawing a star-studded crowd. According to the Daily Mail, music legend Rod Stewart, 81, and his wife Penny Lancaster, 54, were among the celebrities gracing the red carpet. Stewart, never one to shy away from the spotlight, even grabbed a microphone at the entrance to show off his own singing chops. Other high-profile attendees included Richard E. Grant, Baz Luhrmann himself, Anita Dobson and Brian May, musician Grace Chatto, comedian Frank Skinner, and model Sophie Longford. The event was a celebration of style, glamour, and deep admiration for the King.
For those wondering what makes this film different from previous Elvis documentaries, the answer lies in its intimacy and authenticity. Luhrmann’s team restored outtakes, archives, and unreleased content to a level that makes cinema audiences feel as if they’re part of the screaming crowd. And, perhaps most strikingly, the film lets Presley narrate his own story. In one poignant moment, Elvis is heard saying, “I’d like to talk to you a little bit, ladies and gentlemen, about how I got in this business. There’s been a lot written and a lot said but never from my side of the story… The image is one thing, and a human being is another. It’s very hard to live up to an image, I tell you…”
Luhrmann also highlights Presley’s complex relationship with fame and his avoidance of politics, despite being outspoken in his youth. “No one was built for this level of fame,” Luhrmann reflected on the podcast, drawing comparisons with icons like David Bowie and Mick Jagger. He recounted Elvis’s own words: “I’m so tired of playing Elvis Presley.” Yet, Presley’s empathy shone through in his music, in songs like “In the Ghetto” and “Walk a Mile in My Shoes.” As Luhrmann put it, “That’s a song of empathy.”
Presley’s legacy, of course, needs little introduction. After bursting onto the scene in 1956 with hits like “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Hound Dog,” he became a global sensation, selling hundreds of millions of records before his untimely death in 1977 at just 42. Decades later, his music and persona continue to inspire generations, and EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is poised to introduce him to yet another wave of admirers.
As the credits roll on Luhrmann’s new film, the applause echoing in theaters from Las Vegas to London is a testament to the King’s undiminished power to move, inspire, and unite. For fans and newcomers alike, this cinematic event is more than just a concert—it’s a chance to walk a mile in Elvis’s shoes and hear, at last, his side of the story.