A new perspective on the life of Elvis Presley is coming to a theater near you. THR brings us news that the production company BiteSize has optioned David E. Stanley’s memoir Conversations with the King: Journals of a Young Apprentice is looking to turn it into a feature film titled Growing Up Graceland. The story will revolve around Stanley, Presley’s stepbrother, who moved into the famous Memphis, TN mansion at the age of 4 and grew up under the guidance of “The King of Rock and Roll” later become an aide to the man in the later years of his life. No director or screenwriter has been announced as of yet.
BiteSize is a new company that just launched last year at the Cannes Film Festival but already has a series of projects in the works, its most interesting being an action franchise based around the life of famed physicist Sir Isaac Newton. You read that right, an action franchise based around the man who developed the “three laws of motion.” That’s so crazy it may just work…or bomb terribly and loudly.
As for Growing Up Graceland, I grew up around Presley fans and eventually became one myself so I’m all for a movie that explores the iconic musician’s life. And since the focus is on the Stanley-Presley relationship itself, there’s a good chance it’ll avoid the usual shortcomings of musician biopics. But casting Elvis is going to be far more difficult than it seems, so I’ll be doubly interested to see who they go with. Not just anyone can be “the King.”
Have you read the source material of Growing Up Graceland? Do you think it presents a unique enough take on the life of Presley to justify a movie?