REVIEW – EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert: Baz Luhrmann’s Documentary Brings The King’s 1970s Performances Back To Life

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert puts Elvis Presley back on cinema screens with restored concert footage from the early 1970s, assembled by director Baz Luhrmann. The 90 minute film opened on IMAX screens on 20 February 2026 via Universal Pictures, with a wider theatrical rollout following. Built largely from previously unseen material discovered during the making of Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic Elvis, the documentary focuses on Presley’s Las Vegas comeback era and the scale of his live performances at the height of his powers.

A concert film shaped by newly uncovered archive

The project began when Luhrmann’s team located dozens of boxes of original concert negatives that had been stored for decades in studio vaults. Around 59 hours of material were eventually restored and cleaned using modern film techniques, resulting in footage that looks unusually sharp for performances shot more than fifty years ago. The restoration work allows close detail to stand out, from stage costumes and lighting to the physical intensity of Presley’s performances.

Most of the film centres on the Las Vegas residency period that began in 1969 and continued into the early 1970s. This was a crucial chapter in Presley’s career. After several years focused on Hollywood films and limited live appearances, the Vegas shows marked a full return to the stage and reintroduced him as a major live act to a new generation of audiences.

The focus stays on the performer rather than the myth

Luhrmann structures the film as a hybrid of concert footage, rehearsal material and interview clips. Some of the most revealing moments come away from the stage, where Presley talks candidly about music, fame and the demands of touring. The documentary also shows rehearsal sessions where he experiments with material, including covers of songs by The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel.

The approach is largely celebratory. Presley is presented primarily through the energy of the shows and the atmosphere around them, rather than as a full historical reassessment of his life and career.

Standout performances from the Vegas era

The concert material is the main draw. Presley performs a wide selection of songs from across his catalogue and influences, including “Burning Love”, “Suspicious Minds”, “That’s All Right”, “In the Ghetto” and his interpretation of “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Many sequences place the camera close to the stage or among the crowd, emphasising how direct his connection with audiences was during this period.

The film also captures the scale of fan reactions that defined Presley’s concerts. Scenes show fans rushing the stage, throwing clothing and souvenirs, and reacting with the kind of excitement more commonly associated with later stadium acts. Those moments underline how his stage presence remained a central part of his appeal even decades into his career.