Elvis is still king — of the box office — as ‘EPiC’ earns $14 million in a win for music docs

by

Almost six decades after retiring from acting, Elvis Presley is enjoying box office success once more.

Following the release of Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” in 2022 and Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” in 2023, Elvis Presley became the subject of a top 10 highest-grossing film for the third time in under four years.

Baz Luhrmann’s concert film and documentary about Elvis Presley, “EPiC,” earned $8.5 million worldwide and landed in fifth place in its opening weekend. Total earnings for the film currently stand around $14 million.

Hollywood Inc.

For Subscribers

Heartbreak estate: Inside the legal battles of Elvis Presley’s financial legacy

As a movie critic, I’ve seen plenty of dramatic finales, but the legal battles surrounding Elvis Presley just keep rolling on. This latest lawsuit, pitting Priscilla against the Presley estate, is sadly just another chapter in a nearly 50-year saga of financial disputes. It’s a messy situation, honestly – the estate’s finances seem as complicated and troubled as Elvis’s life itself.

Despite being shown in over 5,000 theaters, the new movie came in behind “Scream 7” and “Goat” at the box office. However, it still had a very strong opening, becoming the third-highest-grossing documentary debut ever, surpassing films like “One Direction: This Is Us” (2013) and “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” (2009).

The film’s successful opening shows that movies about music – documentaries and concert films especially – still attract audiences, from devoted fans to casual moviegoers. This trend continues even as studios are also working on biographical films about iconic artists like The Beatles and Michael Jackson.

Baz Luhrmann noted that with so much of life now happening online and on phones, young people really want experiences that bring them together, like going to events. He sees musical films as events in themselves, and he’s happy to see audiences—even those unfamiliar with Elvis—enjoying the films by clapping, singing, and dancing. He believes we’ll see more musical films being shown as events in cinemas in the future.

Baz Luhrmann’s latest film about Elvis Presley features footage never seen before. While researching for the 2022 biopic starring Austin Butler, the director’s team discovered this hidden material in a Kansas salt mine. The film, titled “EPiC,” focuses on Elvis’s comeback to live performances during his famous Las Vegas shows, following his time in acting.

The film, which is an hour and 36 minutes long and cost around $10 million to produce, premiered in limited release on February 20th, playing in 325 theaters. It also showed in IMAX for one week, achieving the highest weekly gross ever for a documentary in that format.

Elissa Federoff, Neon’s head of distribution, explained that audiences are enjoying “EPiC” because it lets them experience Elvis Presley at his best – a truly unique opportunity.

Music

Following his critically acclaimed Elvis biopic from four years ago, the Australian director has returned with a concert film featuring the iconic performer.

Watching these films on the big screen is a truly special experience. Federoff explained that people of all ages can really get lost in the performances, and sharing that with loved ones in a packed theater makes it even more memorable. He believes music films have the unique ability to turn ordinary theaters into places where everyone can enjoy something amazing together.

As a film and music lover, I’ve noticed a really interesting trend: more and more music-related films are hitting the big screen. Last year alone, these films actually made some serious money! For example, the Jeff Buckley documentary earned almost $1.5 million, the Pink Floyd concert film brought in $6.4 million, and the Led Zeppelin doc made over $14.6 million worldwide. It seems like people are really eager to experience music in a theatrical setting, and it’s becoming a significant part of what’s shown in cinemas.

Taylor Swift’s popularity has boosted the trend of music films in cinemas, according to Marc Allenby, the CEO of Trafalgar Releasing, a UK-based distribution company specializing in music movies.

Taylor Swift had a hugely successful year in 2023, starting with her concert film, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which made over $260 million worldwide in theaters. (Trafalgar Releasing helped show the film to international audiences.) She also held special screenings for her newest album, “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” earning another $50 million globally.

Trafalgar is releasing more films to meet growing popularity. They released 39 movies last year, a significant increase from the 27 they released in 2019. Recently, their documentary about Twenty One Pilots, “More Than We Ever Imagined,” earned $3.7 million in ticket sales last weekend, making it the fourth highest-grossing film.

Allenby believes live music will always be popular and will continue to drive business for event cinema as long as the music industry exists. There’s growing excitement about attracting new people to cinemas, which can boost both income and audience size. Ultimately, cinemas are evolving into entertainment and cultural centers, offering more than just movies.

During one of the initial IMAX screenings last week, the audience at AMC Century City theater—sitting in comfortable reclining seats—danced and loudly cheered when Elvis Presley appeared on screen, looking as vivid and energetic as ever.

You know, going to the movies lately feels less like just watching a film and more like being part of something bigger. I went to see the Prince anniversary showing – they brought ‘Sign o’ the Times’ back to theaters – and everyone was totally into it, singing along! It’s just great to share that experience with a crowd, you know? It really feels alive, almost like being at a huge concert or in a stadium with everyone cheering.

Review

Swagger, sweat and flirtation swirl in ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,’ a tribute to a performer and little else

This documentary is made up of footage from Elvis Presley’s Las Vegas shows in the early 1970s. It shows a confident and energetic Elvis connecting with his audience and putting on an exciting performance.

John Lacy, a friend of hers, commented that the event was cheaper than going to a concert. While he usually prefers live venues – and those opportunities don’t come around often – he also appreciates the experience of being in a theater with an audience. He believes there’s something special about that shared atmosphere.

Amanda Walencewicz, who was at the event, shared that she loves seeing concert films in theaters – they’re her preferred type of movie. She also noted that watching these films often changes how she listens to music.

Walencewicz noted that watching movies about musicians often reminds you just how many popular songs they’ve created, and it inspires you to listen to their music again, like during your drive home.

It’s not just going to the movies that makes people listen to an artist’s music. When documentaries about artists become popular on streaming services, their music often gets a boost in listeners too.

Hollywood Inc.

Even though streaming is now the most popular way to watch movies and TV shows, a lot of young people from Generation Z are actually going back to physical copies like DVDs and Blu-rays.

After its release on Netflix last year, “Becoming Led Zeppelin” quickly became the most popular music documentary on any streaming service. The film led to a surge in the band’s online streams, reaching a record high of 40.4 million in a single week. Even after the initial boost, Led Zeppelin continued to average 38 million streams per week through January – a 16% increase over their previous numbers.

According to music data from Luminate, Elvis Presley’s songs saw a small increase in streams and plays across the country and specifically in Los Angeles during its brief theatrical release and one week in IMAX.

Baz Luhrmann isn’t finished telling the story of Elvis Presley. Following his film, he’s planning a stage musical about the singer’s life, much like his successful production of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” and will be screening a new version, “EPiC,” at the Las Vegas Sphere.

Read More

2026-03-03 14:38