Baz Luhrmann is returning to UK cinemas with EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, confirmed as a premium IMAX release before a wider nationwide rollout later this year. The project builds on the director’s 2022 hit Elvis and is positioned as one of the headline theatrical music events of 2026.
The film reworks previously unseen archive footage of Elvis performing and speaking about his life, combining restored material with immersive sound design for large format screens. After premiering in official selection at the Toronto Film Festival, EPiC is now entering its international theatrical phase, with Britain firmly in the strategy.
For UK audiences, this is not a streaming play. It is a deliberate push back into cinemas, framed as an event that rewards scale, sound and spectacle.
Baz Luhrmann, Elvis and Britain’s appetite for spectacle
Baz Luhrmann has a long relationship with British audiences. From Moulin Rouge! to The Great Gatsby and most recently Elvis, his films have consistently translated into strong UK box office returns. Elvis alone grossed close to 300 million dollars worldwide and secured eight Academy Award nominations, alongside BAFTA and Golden Globe recognition. In Britain, it performed solidly across premium formats and standard screens alike.
EPiC extends that momentum rather than repeating it. The film draws from concerts in Las Vegas, footage from a 1972 tour and the iconic 1957 Hawaii performance, reshaped into a cohesive cinematic experience. Instead of presenting a straight documentary, Baz Luhrmann frames the material as a curated theatrical journey, combining performance with intimate spoken recordings from Elvis himself.
This approach aligns with a clear trend in Britain. Music driven releases have become dependable theatrical performers, from biopics to full concert films. UK audiences increasingly treat these titles as shared cultural outings rather than secondary content for later streaming.
The involvement of Bazmark, led by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, signals a familiar visual signature. British viewers recognise the layered production design and heightened aesthetic that define their work. That style benefits directly from IMAX presentation, which explains the decision to anchor the rollout in premium large format venues before broad expansion.
Why Manchester matters
In Manchester, EPiC lands at a strategic moment for cinemas that rely on event programming to drive footfall. From the Printworks multiplexes to HOME’s curated screenings, the city has developed a consistent appetite for music focused cinema and prestige releases.
Premium formats in particular have become essential for exhibitors. A structured IMAX window offers a strong marketing hook, especially in a city with a dense student population and a long standing music culture. Manchester audiences understand concert energy. Translating that to the big screen is a commercially smart move.
A Deansgate cinema manager told us, “When a recognised director like Baz Luhrmann brings something built for scale, it cuts through. This feels like a night out film rather than something to catch later at home.”
That local reaction reflects wider UK trends. Event cinema, from live concert broadcasts to anniversary re releases, continues to perform well outside London. Regional venues increasingly depend on films that justify leaving the sofa. EPiC is positioned squarely in that category.
Manchester’s own musical identity also strengthens the link. A city shaped by live performance culture is more likely than most to embrace a concert film framed as a spectacle rather than a documentary lecture.
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What EPiC means for the industry
For the wider industry, Baz Luhrmann’s return to Elvis represents a test of how far curated archive cinema can stretch theatrically. Rather than presenting raw footage, EPiC packages history with narrative framing and large scale sound engineering. That elevates it from archival release to premium event.
The Toronto premiere gave the project international credibility and early critical momentum. While EPiC is not designed as a conventional awards contender, its restoration work and audio presentation place it in contention within technical and specialist categories if campaigned strategically.
Distribution strategy will be crucial. Concert films often deliver strong per screen averages when positioned as limited experiences. If the IMAX phase is marketed as a must see window, UK returns could be healthy before the wider release expands access.
British exhibitors will be watching closely. Mid budget adult dramas have struggled in recent years, while spectacle driven releases have retained drawing power. Baz Luhrmann’s name still carries recognition value in the UK market, particularly among audiences who responded to Elvis in 2022.
The takeaway for UK audiences
For Manchester and the wider UK, EPiC is more than a revisit of familiar material. It is a statement about theatrical value. Baz Luhrmann is asking audiences to experience restored history at full scale rather than through compressed streaming.
If the film performs strongly, it will reinforce the case for music led event cinema as a dependable pillar of the British release calendar. If it underperforms, studios may retreat further toward streaming first strategies.
Right now, the positioning is clear. Baz Luhrmann has returned to Elvis with a format designed for immersion, not convenience. For UK cinemas seeking reasons to draw crowds between franchise tentpoles, EPiC arrives as a timely test of how much appetite remains for spectacle on the big screen.
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