Warner Bros. is staying in the Baz Luhrmann business. The filmmaker has inked a first-look deal with the studio, following his work with Warners on Elvis, which received eight Oscar nominations on Tuesday.
Elvis was a box office win as the rare adult drama to succeed in an era in which superheroes and horror dominate the landscape. It earned $287.3 million globally, and overcame star Tom Hanks contracting the coronavirus in the early days of the pandemic.
Starring Austin Butler as the late King of Rock, the film’s Oscar nominations include best picture and best actor for Butler. Luhrmann, an Australian native, is known for bringing his signature flair toto features such as William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001) and The Great Gatsby (2013), also made for Warners. His features are known for their inventive use of music, with the soundtracks to Moulin Rouge! and Gatsby earning Grammy nominations.
Per the deal, Luhrmann will develop and direct for Warners, but will also be allowed to direct outside projects.
“Baz Luhrmann is one of the most singular filmmakers in modern cinema, and we couldn’t be more excited to announce that Warner Bros. is continuing our association with him,” Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pamelia Abdy said. “The massive success of Elvis, which helped drive audiences of all ages and a whole new generation back to theaters, proves Baz remains ahead of the curve and at the forefront of the pop culture zeitgeist.”
