Matthew McConaughey will be voicing legendary music icon Elvis Presley in Netflix's new animated spy series Agent Elvis.
The series was created by Priscilla Presley and John Eddie.
According to Deadline, the logline for the show reads:
“Elvis Presley trades in his jumpsuit for a jet pack when he is covertly inducted into a secret government spy program to battle the dark forces that threaten the country he loves—all while holding down his day job as the King of Rock and Roll."
\u201cMATTHEW McCONAUGHEY IS ELVIS. \nAGENT ELVIS.\nCreated by Priscilla Presley & John Eddie. From Sony Pictures Animation - the studio behind SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE.\nOnly on Netflix, March 2023.\u201d— Netflix Geeked (@Netflix Geeked) 1675699201
While the general premise is bold and unique audiences don't think the casting is "alright, alright, alright."
Based on the trailer, McConaughey sounds less like "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" and more like Matthew McConaughey.
Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi then moved to Memphis, Tennessee as a teenager. His southern drawl was shaped by both places.
McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas and moved Longview, Texas as a teen. His mother was from Trenton, New Jersey giving her a very non-southern accent, but his father was from Mississippi and Louisiana giving the actor a tenuous vocal connection to Presley.
Netflix posted a trailer for the upcoming series with the caption:
"Elvis Presley always dreamed of being a superhero—now, Priscilla Presley is making his dream a reality!"
Here's the trailer.
\u201cElvis Presley always dreamed of being a superhero \u2014 now, Priscilla Presley is making his dream a reality! \n\nMatthew @McConaughey stars in Agent Elvis, a new animated series created by Priscilla Presley and John Eddie. Premieres March 2023.\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
Social media users didn't seem to be on board with McConaughey's casting.
\u201c@netflix @ElvisPresley @McConaughey THE VOICE????\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
\u201c@netflix @McConaughey This looks ok, but Matt doesn't even try to sound like Elvis?\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
\u201c@netflix @McConaughey Same actor.\n#matthewmcconaughey\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
\u201c@Den_Ye_702 @RottenTomatoes All wrong, all wrong, all wrong.\u201d— Rotten Tomatoes (@Rotten Tomatoes) 1675704300
\u201c@netflix @McConaughey I like the concept but the voice acting\u2026ain\u2019t it\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
\u201c@netflix @McConaughey Sounds nothing like him at all.\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
\u201c@netflix @ElvisPresley @McConaughey As a life long Elvis fan all I have to say is this \ud83e\udd2e\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
Austin Butler set the bar for nailing the voice and mannerisms of The King with his rousing, pitch-perfect portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's dazzling 2022 musical biopic Elvis.
Butler even won the Golden Globe for the role and is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
So it's not surprising people were all shook up to hear Agent Elvis wasn't voiced by Butler or anyone else sounding less Texan turned surfer dude.
\u201c@Variety McConaughey sounds absolutely nothing like Elvis here. And it\u2019s incredibly jarring to have Elvis sound like McConaughey.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1675700100
\u201c@RottenTomatoes WTF,, That just Matthew being Matthew and no Elvis in there.\u201d— Rotten Tomatoes (@Rotten Tomatoes) 1675704300
\u201cI just don't know how I feel about Matthew McConaughey voicing Elvis \ud83d\ude02 \nWatching the trailer it just felt a little weird with his voice, like not quite fit for the role IMO. \n\nJohn Stamos would've been a much better choice. I'll probably still check this out though.\u201d— Brittany\ud83d\udc99 (@Brittany\ud83d\udc99) 1675705215
\u201cI need an SNL sketch of Austin Butler trying to teach Matthew McConaughey how to do an Elvis voice.\u201d— \u2615Stephen M. Colbert (@\u2615Stephen M. Colbert) 1675699402
At least the premise doesn't seem to be completely unrealistic.
\u201c@45Fantomex @HuffPost It really is not that far of a stretch to think of Elvis as a spy.\nhttps://t.co/VS3wfVRBhz\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1675729176
\u201c@Variety Why didn\u2019t anyone think of this sooner \ud83e\udd14\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1675700100
Still, McConaughey stans can't help falling in love.
\u201c@netflix @McConaughey Congrats @McConaughey FUN!!!!!!!\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
\u201c@CinemaSoIace McConaughey's voice alone is already one of a kind, in a nice and sexy way.\u201d— Cinema Solace (@Cinema Solace) 1675701633
\u201c@LinnyStans @CinemaSoIace I think he kind of already sounds like Elvis.\u201d— Cinema Solace (@Cinema Solace) 1675701633
\u201c@netflix @McConaughey I was in two minds about watching this - but I love Elvis and I love Matthew McConaughey - this is a match made in heaven \u2026 \ud83d\ude80\u201d— Netflix (@Netflix) 1675699201
Find out if McConaughey's interpretation ultimately works when Agent Elvis starts streaming on Netflix in March.
