Elvis Presley movie: Baz Luhrmann teases Las Vegas scene, praises ‘TERRIFIC’ Austin Butler

He added: “We were rehearsing camera positioning, everything, and I’d done all the tests – Austin, Tom, and the whole cast was on fire. We were that close.”

Praising Elvis star Butler, Baz said: “During the testing process, his commitment, his transformative abilities from the young Elvis to beyond, he had been playing so very well.

“He was terrific. There was such great energy and excitement in the cast and company, about the show we were about to shoot.”

On the moment the director knew something was up, he said: “All of a sudden I see my producer, Patrick McCormick on the set, and he had the same look in his eyes like he had a week earlier.”