It’s not every day that a rock ‘n roll superstar turns up at the White House uninvited, but the upcoming comedy-drama film Elvis & Nixon takes a look at the time when one did. A new trailer for the film, posted Saturday on Amazon Studios’ YouTube channel, brings viewers back to December 1970 to watch Elvis Presley demand an urgent meeting with President Nixon.
A storied photograph from the day has long been circulated, and resides at the National Archives, but the image is just a single moment from a very eventful day. The film, which is described as the “untold true story,” brings the hilarious antics of Elvis (played by Michael Shannon) to screen, portraying a hilarious sit-down with a bemused president (played by Kevin Spacey, who must be getting accustomed to the role). Based on the trailer, the visit was anything but a run-of-the-mill meeting between a president and a celebrity.
The preview shows Elvis arriving at the White House without making any kind of appointment, and then requesting to see the commander-in-chief himself. The rock star is at the height of his fame, so the president’s team decides that it could be a good press opportunity, even if his arrival is anything but orthodox. Still more surprises are in store for them once he enters the famed residence, though. We see Elvis sneak in a firearm in his bell bottoms, eat snacks reserved specifically for the president, and even request a badge to go undercover with the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
In addition to Shannon and Spacey, Elvis & Nixon also stars Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, Evan Peters, and Ashley Benson. The film is directed by Liza Johnson and was written by Joey Sagal, Hanala Sagal, and Cary Elwes.
Elvis & Nixon is set to hit theaters in April.
