K5 International announced last week that it had taken international rights to Benaroya Pictures’ upcoming project, Elvis & Nixon. The comedy will mark Cary Elwes’ directorial debut and stars Eric Bana as Elvis Presley and Danny Huston as Richard Nixon. Now, The Hollywood Reporter has word that Luke Wilson and Kevin Connolly have joined the cast as well.
The film will tell the story of Elvis Presley visiting President Richard M. Nixon at the White House in December of 1970. The meeting was initiated by Presley, who wrote Nixon a six-page letter requesting a visit and suggesting that he be made a ‘Federal Agent-at-Large’ in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Presley brought with him family photos and a Colt 45 pistol as a personal gift to the President.
Wilson will play Sonny, a friend of Elvis’ and Connolly a limo driver named Ronnie.
Elwes himself wrote the screenplay with Joey Sagal and Hanala Sagal and the plan is begin principal photography shortly in Shreveport and Los Angeles.
Elvis & Nixon is produced by Michael Benaroya of Benaroya Pictures and Holly Wiersma. Bana’s Pick Up Truck Productions is executive producing, marking the company’s first U.S. production.
(Photo Credit: Apega / Fayesvision / Daniel Tanner / WENN.com)
