Elvis edged ahead of The Great Gatsby on Tuesday Aug. 23 to become director/writer/producer Baz Luhrmann’s top-grossing film in the U.S. and Canada. According to boxofficemojo.com, Elvis has grossed $150,471,000 domestically as of Monday (Sept. 19) , a shade more than Luhrmann’s previous film, The Great Gatsby, which has grossed $144,858,000 domestically.
The Great Gatsby continues to be Luhrmann’s top film in global box office, with worldwide receipts of $353,660,000, compared to $284,171,000 for Elvis so far.
Luhrmann, who turned 60 on Sept. 17, has written and directed just six films, but the last five have become box-office hits. Moreover, four of his first five films have received Oscar nominations. Two became double Oscar winners.
Four of his six films as a director have spawned hit soundtracks. Romeo + Juliet and The Great Gatsby both reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Moulin Rouge! hit No. 3. Elvis has climbed as high as No. 26.
Luhrmann received both an Oscar nomination for best picture and a Grammy nod for best compilation soundtrack album for his 2001 film classic Moulin Rouge! The 2019 Broadway adaptation of that film swept 10 Tony Awards, including best musical, though Luhrmann wasn’t personally nominated. (He was, however, nominated for another Grammy for his work on the Moulin Rouge! The Musical cast album. Luhrmann also received a Grammy nod for his work on The Great Gatsby soundtrack.)
Like Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy, Luhrmann has a passion for turning contemporary audiences on to great music from all eras. The best example of this may be the “Elephant Love Medley,” a 10-song extravaganza from Moulin Rouge!, which included such wildly diverse songs as David Bowie’s “Heroes,” Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way” and KISS’ “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” The lead single from that film, an all-star remake of LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. Romeo + Juliet included a new version of Candi Staton’s 1976 R&B classic “Young Hearts Run Free” by Kym Mazelle. Elvis includes several updates of Presley classics, including star Austin Butler’s “Trouble,” Maneskin’s “If I Can Dream” and Kacey Musgraves’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
Nicole Kidman and Leonardo DiCaprio have each starred in two Luhrmann films. John Leguizamo has co-starred in two. To date, Kidman is the only performer to receive an Oscar nomination for acting in a Luhrmann film. Will Butler, who plays the title role in Elvis, and/or Tom Hanks, whose turn as Col. Tom Parker has received mixed notices, receive Oscar nominations next year? Place your bets.
Here’s a closer look at Luhrmann’s six films to date. They are shown in chronological order:
