Sofia Coppola says she didn’t want to "vilify" Elvis Presley in her new movie Priscilla

While Elvis was all about the King of Rock and Roll, Sofia Coppola’s latest shifts its focus to Priscilla Presley, a schoolgirl who gets wrapped up in Elvis Presley’s orbit at the age of just 14.

In the new issue of Total Film magazine, which features The Bikeriders on the cover, Coppola opens up about crafting this new story, and why it was so important not to vilify Elvis. The key to this, the Lost in Translation director tells us, was working closely with the real Priscilla, now 78, to tell her story.

"I spoke to her a lot as I was preparing it," she explains in the new issue, which hits newsstands on November 9. "She made herself available. It was important for me that she felt good about it, and that it represented what she was trying to express. So that was a challenge: how do I make what I want to make, but also make sure that it respects her, and is telling her story?"

Coppola adds that this also meant including the drugs, cheating, and violence that Presley’s widow writes about in her 1985 memoir 'Elvis and Me'. "I never wanted to vilify [Elvis]," the writer-director continues. "There were fun moments, and they loved each other, and then there’s dark moments, and how to balance that, so that it wasn’t too much one way. I tried not to think about all the other opinions. I really just focused on her story."

Starring Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Jacob Elordi as Elvis, the film charts the length of their marriage. Focusing primarily on Priscilla’s perspective, viewers watch as a teenage infatuation blossoms into an all-consuming relationship plagued by loneliness, passion, and ultimately heartbreak.

You can see an exclusive new image from the film above, taken from the upcoming issue of Total Film magazine. Priscilla is released in cinemas from January 5, 2024, with limited previews beginning on December 26, 2023.

• Preorder The Bikeriders issue of Total Film here

For much more on Priscilla, as well as stories on The Bikeriders, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Rebel Moon, and much more, pick up a copy of the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves on November 9. Check out the covers below:

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. With our latest offer, you can get a JOBY Magnetic Wireless Charger worth £29.95 when you take out a print subscription.