Priscilla: Elvis and Me — Coppola’s intimate retelling in a music-forward approach

A new film from Sofia Coppola, titled Priscilla: Elvis and Me, reimagines the intimate and often turbulent chapters of Elvis Presley’s marriage through Priscilla Presley’s own memoir lens. The project, rooted in a personal retelling rather than a traditional biopic, delves into the emotional currents that shaped one of rock and roll’s most enduring marriages. Coppola has explained that the decision to pivot away from a conventional soundtrack in favor of a curated musical approach was deliberate, aimed at capturing the era and the mood rather than simply replicating well-known hits. This shift signals a broader strategy: let the music reflect the protagonist’s inner world and the era’s atmosphere, rather than serve as a familiar soundtrack to fame. In discussing the film, Coppola suggests that the absence of Elvis’s iconic songs isn’t a flaw but a creative choice that invites audiences to listen to the period through Priscilla’s feelings and experiences (Coppola interview, contemporary press).