Neon and Universal Pictures Content Group jointly announced today that they have acquired domestic and international rights respectively to Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Baz Luhrmann’s “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert.” A one-of-a-kind cinematic experience, “EPiC” invites audiences to hear Elvis sing and tell his story like never before. Following its rapturous world premiere at TIFF, where the film was met with dancing crowds, Neon will release the film theatrically in the US and Universal Pictures International will release the film internationally in 2026.

From Sony Music Vision, Bazmark and Authentic Studios, the film debuted in Official Selection at the Toronto International Film Festival to critical acclaim and a standing ovation, with Vogue calling it “a burst of concert-film adrenaline.” “EPiC” features long-lost footage from Presley’s legendary Vegas residency in the 1970s, woven together with rare 16mm footage from “Elvis on Tour,” and precious 8mm from the Graceland archive, plus recordings of Elvis telling “his side of the story” rediscovered during Luhrmann’s research for his 2022 hit, “Elvis.”

“EPiC” marks Luhrmann’s second major project centered on the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, following “Elvis,” which earned eight Academy Award nominations, won multiple BAFTA’s and Golden Globes, and grossed nearly $300 million worldwide. With “EPiC,” Luhrmann transforms unearthed archival material into an electrifying cinematic odyssey that captures Elvis at his best, raw, intimate and electric.

Luhrmann said, “From the first day my editor, Jonathan Redmond, and I encountered this rare and never-before-seen footage of Elvis almost 8 years ago, it has been our mission that Elvis should finally fulfil his unrealised dream to tour around the world.

Along with our incredible partners at Authentic Studios and Sony Music Vision, we created an experience that is not just a documentary and not just a concert film; it’s “EPiC.” Now, I could not be more thrilled that our passion is matched by Neon and Universal, who will ensure this film will be seen from local cinemas in small towns, to the biggest screens in the biggest cities in the world. I personally can’t wait to TCB (Elvis’s motto: ‘taking care of business’) and take this show on the road.”

“With ‘EPiC,’ Baz has crafted an extraordinary, immersive film about a legendary artist that deserves to be seen on the big screen,” said Tom Mackay, President of Sony Music Vision. “Along with our partners at Authentic Studios, we are thrilled to be aligning with Neon and Universal Pictures Content Group, two companies with proven track records in delivering unforgettable cinematic experiences, to bring Elvis’ story to audiences around the world.”

“When we started this project with Sony Music Vision and Bazmark, Baz set out to reimagine how audiences would experience Elvis—an ambition he has fully delivered on,” says Colin Smeeton, President, Authentic Studios. “Partnering with Neon and Universal Pictures Content Group to share Baz’s vision globally is a true milestone for Authentic Studios.”

In collaboration together, Neon and Universal Pictures Content Group continue to expand their shared reputation for groundbreaking nonfiction storytelling. The global release of Brett Morgen’s BAFTA-nominated “Moonage Daydream” redefined the music documentary, earned widespread acclaim and became a global box office sensation. Todd Douglas Miller’s BAFTA-nominated “Apollo 11” transformed unearthed archival footage into a breathtaking larger-than-life theatrical experience. Neon handled the domestic release of both films whilst Universal Pictures Content Group handled international distribution, with Universal Pictures International releasing internationally. With “EPiC,” Neon and Universal Pictures Content Group plan to continue their successful track record with delivering audiences immersive cinematic journeys.

The film is produced by Sony Music Vision, Bazmark, and Authentic Studios.

About Neon
In only eight years, Neon has garnered 39 Academy Award nominations (7 this year), 11 total wins (5 this year), including two Best Picture wins, and has grossed over $400M at the box office. The company continues to push boundaries and take creative risks on bold cinema such as Sean Baker’s “Anora,” which recently took home five Academy Awards including Best Picture, and was released in theaters to the highest per-screen average of 2024; as well as Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” which made history winning four Academy Awards, becoming the first non-English-language film to claim Best Picture, and grossed over $54M at the domestic box office.

Neon has built an impressive streak winning the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, with six consecutive wins, including this most recent year’s winner “It Was Just an Accident” from Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, as well as “Anora,” “Parasite,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Titane,” and “Triangle of Sadness.” In 2024, Neon was named The Hollywood Reporter’s Independent Studio of the Year and received the Clio Award for Studio of the Year.

Recent Neon releases include Mike Flanagan’s “The Life of Chuck” and Osgood Perkins’ horror film “The Monkey,” both of which are based on the short stories by Stephen King. “The Monkey” marked Neon’s second biggest opening weekend at the box office following Perkins’ “Longlegs,” which is the highest grossing independent film of the year at $75 million domestically.

As a burgeoning leader in the production space, Neon’s recent and upcoming in-house productions include: David Robert Mitchell’s “They Follow” starring Maika Monroe; Michael Covino’s “Splitsville” starring Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona; the highly anticipated Boots Riley feature “I Love Boosters” starring Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, LaKeith Stanfield, Demi Moore, and Eiza González; “The Wrong Girls” starring Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat; Tilman Singer’s “Cuckoo” starring Hunter Schafer; and Brandon Cronenberg’s “Infinity Pool.” Neon’s international sales outfit handles the company’s in-house titles as well as third party projects.

Neon has amassed a library of over 120 films, with a noteworthy selection of Academy Award nominated films including: Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig;” Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days;” “Robot Dreams “from Pablo Bergfeer; documentaries “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” “Fire of Love,” “Moonage Daydream,” and “Flee,” which made history becoming the first film to score an impressive trifecta of Oscar nominations; Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in The World;” and Craig Gillespie’s “I, Tonya.”