Thescreescore – The King of Rock and Roll continues to reign supreme, with the newly unveiled EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert achieving an astonishing audience reception that remarkably surpasses even Baz Luhrmann’s critically acclaimed 2022 biopic, Elvis. This unique cinematic event, a compelling fusion of concert footage and documentary insights, is proving to be an unexpected phenomenon, reigniting the fervent adoration for Presley’s unparalleled stage presence and enduring musical legacy.
Curated directly from the extensive research materials gathered by visionary director Baz Luhrmann for his Oscar-nominated Elvis film, EPiC presents audiences with a treasure trove of previously unseen performances from the iconic singer. While Luhrmann’s biopic, starring Austin Butler in a transformative role, captivated critics and grossed an impressive $288.7 million globally against its $85 million budget, earning eight Academy Award nominations, it’s the raw, unfiltered power of Presley himself that is now captivating viewers in an unprecedented way.
As EPiC makes its theatrical debut, Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter has registered a near-perfect 99% audience score, based on a growing number of verified user reviews. This extraordinary level of public enthusiasm positions the film on the precipice of achieving "Verified Hot" status on the platform, a testament to its immediate and profound connection with viewers. This weekend, EPiC stands as the undisputed audience favorite, outshining other new releases such as the MercyMe biopic sequel I Can Only Imagine 2 (a respectable 98%), the chilling serial killer thriller Psycho Killer (35%), and Glen Powell’s dark comedy How to Make a Killing (76%).
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The 99% score for EPiC not only dominates the weekend’s releases but also significantly eclipses the 94% audience score of the 2022 Elvis biopic, which itself is "Verified Hot" on Rotten Tomatoes. This new concert film now represents Baz Luhrmann’s highest-rated project by audiences on the platform. For Austin Butler, whose portrayal of Elvis was widely lauded, the original biopic remains his second-best audience score after Dune: Part Two, but EPiC‘s success underscores the enduring appeal of the figure he embodied. Even for screen legend Tom Hanks, who portrayed Colonel Tom Parker, the 2022 film’s 94% placed it as his fourth-best (behind Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and A Man Called Otto), yet EPiC demonstrates the raw, unadulterated power of Elvis’s live performances resonates even more deeply.
Beyond the aggregate score, individual audience reviews paint a picture of overwhelming adoration. A remarkable 27 out of 28 reviews posted in the 12 hours leading up to this report awarded the film a perfect five stars, with the sole outlier still granting a stellar four stars. This consistent outpouring of praise, echoed across more than 250 user reviews, strongly indicates that EPiC is destined for "Verified Hot" distinction very soon. This audience fervor is also translating into a robust box office performance. Despite its limited initial release in just 325 domestic theaters, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is projected to secure the No. 7 spot on the domestic chart, driven by an impressive per-screen average of $9,600, signaling a triumphant return for the King to the big screen.
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