Will 'Elvis' Go Down In Oscars History? (2024)

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Can you hear that? It’s the sound of “Hound Dog” thumping in the distance. No? Just me? Well, soon enough, the whole soundtrack from Elvis will be stuck in your head, too. The musical, starring Austin Butler, has been nominated for an impressive string of awards—including eight Oscars. In advance of this Sunday night's Academy Awards, it's time for a rewatch, people.

Elvis marked the return of director Baz Luhrmann, whose last film, The Great Gatsby, released nearly a decade ago. Elvis was praised by the King's family members, including the late Lisa Marie Presley, who said that Austin Butler nailed his job playing Elvis. During an interview with Extra TV, Presley said, “You know, I’m a bit biased, but absolutely, 100 percent [does Austin Butler deserve an Oscars nomination]… I can look at it objectively as well, sure. I think that he did such an incredible job.”

Even Esquire's own Charles Taylor enjoyed the heck out of Luhrmann's film. Taylor wrote, "what Luhrmann has done is to treat Elvis as both a conscious transgressor and a conscious artist, the honor denied Elvis when he’s condescended to as an untutored folk artist, a hillbilly wild man who got lucky, or a curio that has as much weight as a reproduction of an old co*ke ad."

On March 12, we’ll see if Butler’s performance was good enough to land an Academy Award. This year, he’s up for Best Actor, while the film itself is in the race for for Best Picture. The Academy will determine who wins what, of course, but you can form your own opinion by watching the film at home.

Elvis is currently available to stream on HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Hulu.