It’s a 20th century showdown at the box office this weekend, with the baby boomer epic “Elvis” contending against Gen X revamp “Top Gun: Maverick” for the top spot on domestic charts.Director Baz Luhrmann’s biopic about the King of Rock and Roll is projected to draw 30 million from 3,906 theaters in its opening.
It would be the second-strongest North American opening of the Aussie filmmaker’s career, coming in behind the 50 million debut of his 2013 adaptation “The Great Gatsby.” The film, which stars Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, could also mark the highest non-franchise domestic opening since the onset of Covid-19, potentially topping the 30.4 million debut of Paramount’s “The Lost City” earlier this spring.It’s a solid start for “Elvis.” The Warner Bros.
release has scored largely affectionate reviews from critics, with many highlighting star Butler’s breakout turn as Presley.
Variety chief film critic Owen Gleiberman
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