Sofia Coppola’s latest biopic, centering on the life of the late Elvis Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla Presley, has been banned from using any of The King’s music. The film written and directed by Coppola for A24, has been turned down by Elvis Presley Enterprises from featuring his songs.
Adapted from Priscilla Presley’s 1985 mémoire Elvis and Me, the biopic Priscilla, was supposed to earn more appreciation from fans. Released a year after Austin Butler’s Elvis (2022), Sofia Coppola appears to have failed in her attempt, as the project was slammed by the Presley estate.
Priscilla Was Banned From Using Elvis Presley’s Music
Oscar-winning director Sofia Coppola is no stranger to adaptations. Often known for bringing texts to screen, the filmmaker turned Priscilla Presley’s 1985 mémoire Elvis and Me into her latest biopic Priscilla (2023). With a clear knack for adaptations and a talent for storytelling, Coppola wanted to do her best with the project.
However, through the course of filming and production, Sofia Coppola faced a major obstacle from Elvis Presley Enterprises, when they banned her from using The King’s music in her biopic. Released after Austin Butler’s Elvis in 2022, fans were thus left shocked to find none of the late singer’s music in the biopic.
“They don’t like projects that they haven’t originated, and they’re protective of their brand. But that made us be more creative.” Coppola told The Hollywood Reporter.
The relationship between Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and other stakeholders in Elvis’ brand was a delicate one. And it only turned more complicated and fragile after Lisa Marie Presley’s death.
Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla Was Slammed By Presley Estate
Despite all obstacles, the Oscar-winning filmmaker tried her best to turn her biopic into a highly appreciated project. However, Sofia Coppola appeared to have majorly failed in her attempt. The movie was not only slammed by fans and critics, but also by the Presley estate, and Lisa Marie Presley herself.
Although Sofia Coppola tried using her husband Thomas Mars’ indie rock music covers of classic songs for her biopic’s soundtrack, her project failed severely. Following the trailer release of Priscilla, the Presley estate slammed the writing and directing as “horrible” and compared it to a “college movie”. Further labeling the project as a “money grab”, the Presley estate criticized the biopic.
According to Variety, even Lisa Marie Presley expressed shock and horror over the depiction of her father Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. Prior to her fatal cardiac arrest, the singer begged Coppola to reconsider her vision for her father’s character and to spare her family, public embarrassment. But along with Priscilla Presley who was the executive producer of the film, Coppola bluntly denied Lisa Marie Presley’s request.
Later on, Priscilla suffered terribly at the box office making only $19M against its $20M estimated budget.
