Names floated for 'The Elvis Conspiracy' include Daniel Craig, Adrien Brody, Christoph Waltz, Tom Holland, Zac Efron, and Dacre Montgomery.

CHICAGO, IL, USA, November 29, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Chicago-based scribe Rikki Lee Travolta has been named the winner of the Best Screenplay Award in both the Multi Dimension Independent Film Festival and the MoviePlay International Film Festival for his dramatic thriller The Elvis Conspiracy. In terms of international appeal, within the past month the script has also been named a Finalist in England’s Bright International Film Festival and an Official Selection of Mexico’s Oaxaca Film Festival.

The screenplay poses the question: What if there was more to the legend of Elvis than we know? What if his manager Col. Parker made the whole thing up?

Intertwining facts and conspiracy theories, this “alternate history” thriller follows Col Tom Parker as he transforms from small time carnival barker to star maker when he creates the icon Elvis Presley; meanwhile a relentless investigative reporter tries to uncover the truth behind what might be the greatest swindle in entertainment history. Think of it as The Da Vinci Code meets Eddie and the Cruisers.

Alternate History is a genre that artists like Quinten Tarantino have had great results with such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Inglorious Bastards. Tarantino is not the only filmmaker to experiment in this genre. Forrest Gump, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and Fatherland are other examples of successful ventures into the world of alternate history scripts that take real historical events and then give them a fictionalized twist.

"There’s something magical about ‘What If’ stories. It’s natural for people to wonder how things might have turned out differently under different circumstances,” explains Travolta. “The Elvis Conspiracy embraces that element of fantasy and creates a whole new world, a whole new way to experience the legend of Elvis Presley."

With Tom Hanks playing Col. Parker in a much different film, the general Col. Parker/Elvis relationship is a hot topic right now. Travolta’s, however, is a totally unique approach.

“The true Elvis story has been told in many wonderful films and television series. Austin Butler is drawing Oscar buzz for his recent film performance. He’s amazing. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Michael St. Gerard were also brilliant in their turns as Elvis," reflects the screenwriter. "I wanted to do something different – something totally new. I wanted to paint with blood and sweat instead of acrylics and watercolors.”

Although he is painting the Elvis legend with broad brushstrokes of fiction, Travolta does so with the utmost respect for the icon he grew up idolizing.

“Elvis Presley was one of my first role models. I grew up watching Elvis movies every weekend. I remain a huge fan,” adds Travolta. “I would never seek to tarnish his reputation.”

With the right actors there are 2 award worthy roles – Best Actor (Col. Parker) and Best Supporting Actor (playing three versions of Elvis). The story could also be easily adapted into a television limited series for streaming services.

Travolta is a produced television writer, an optioned screenwriter, a produced playwright, and a published author and journalist. In fact, thanks to some creative guerilla marketing efforts, one of his books was an Amazon Top Ten Recommendation. He currently serves as creator and producer of a series on PBS.

Names that have been floated for the project include Russel Crowe, Daniel Craig, Adrien Brody, John C. Reilly, Christoph Waltz, Jon Hamm, and Hank Azaria as Col. Parker and Tom Holland, Zac Efron, Dacre Montgomery, and Finn Cole as Elvis.

In addition to these two major screenplay contest wins, The Elvis Conspiracy has also been a finalist in such competitions as the Chicago Screenplay Awards, Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition, and the Emerging Screenwriters Suspense Screenplay Competition. It was also an Official Selection of the Marina Del Rey Film Festival.

Travolta’s other screenplays have been finalists in prestigious competitions including Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards, New York International Screenplay Awards, Southern California Screenplay Competition, Scriptapalooza International Screenplay Competition, Boston Screenplay Awards, Miami Screenplay Awards, Portland Screenplay Awards, and Las Vegas International Film & Screenwriting Festival.

Jesse Hyde
Truth & Justice Entertainment
+1 815-527-5007
JesseHyde@lifeandtimes.biz

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