Quick links to watch ‘Priscilla’ at home:
In 2022, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis lit up the big screen and earned eight nominations at the Academy Awards. In 2023, it’s Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla igniting the awards flame. The poignant portrait of Priscilla Presley, Elvis’s young lover, pulls back the curtain on the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s supposed fairy tale romance.
Released in theaters nationwide by A24 on Nov. 3, 2023, Priscilla is still available in movie theaters across the country. However, if you prefer your movie nights in the comfort of your pajamas and on the couch, you’re in luck. Priscilla is officially hitting video on demand (VOD) services Dec. 15, right in the heat of awards season. A streaming debut on Max (formerly HBO Max) is expected to follow soon at a later date, but if you’re dying to watch the Coppola flick ASAP, here’s everything you need to know.
Is Priscilla worth watching?
Priscilla earned a certified-fresh 82% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Mashable’s own film critic Kristy Puchko giving the film a sparkling review. It even earned itself a place in the top ten on our best films of the year list, beating out Barbie, Saltburn, and other favorites.
Puchko referred to the film as a “stunning and thoughtful portrait of a misunderstood icon,” noting that Jacob Elordi plays a “next-level” Elvis and Cailee Spaeny delivers a nuanced and artful performance at Priscilla. “Under Coppola’s direction, these stars do more than shine; they practically explode,” she adds.
Some folks may find the lack of a showy climax and grandiose ending unsatisfying, with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes’ complaining that it feels “slow-moving.” But that’s part of Coppola’s style. “Coppola paints Priscilla’s world with all the attention to detail that the young woman does her fingernails. Every stroke matters and pays off, creating a glossy but not glossed-over coming-of-age tale of love, loss, and moving on,” Puchko writes.
What is Priscilla about?
Adapted from Priscilla Presley’s own memoir from 1985, Elvis and Me, the movie is a portrait of her life behind the glittery Graceland gates. Spoiler alert: her fairy tale life isn’t all that it seemed. Coppola tells the love story of American royalty entirely through Priscilla’s perspective, and what results is a “radiant, empathetic, and yet not naive look at the first love that caught the whole world’s attention — but should not have sparked envy,” as Mashable’s Kristy Puchko put it.
Want to read the source material? You can pick up the paperback or Kindle version for just $8.99 at Amazon. The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir has over 10,000 4- or 5-star community reviews on Goodreads. Though the book was initially released in 1985, the film adaptation has sparked renewed interest in the print copy.
Here’s the official trailer for Priscilla for those who want a quick glimpse before diving in:
Is Priscilla streaming?
On Dec. 6, A24 and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a multi-year output deal that will bring A24 films exclusively to Max for steaming after their theatrical debuts. That includes Priscilla, as well as other films we love, like Dicks: The Musical, Everything Everywhere All At Once and Past Lives. Priscilla‘s streaming debut date on Max is still unknown, however, but it will likely be within the coming months. Stay tuned.
How to watch Priscilla at home
Thanks to video on demand services, you can purchase the digital version of Priscilla and watch the “unseen side of a great American myth” at home beginning Dec. 15. If you can’t wait until the streaming release on Max or would rather own the film to watch at your own leisure, here are the links to purchase Priscilla on demand.
How to stream Priscilla (at a later date)
If you don’t mind waiting until the official streaming release of Priscilla, which is currently unknown, you can set yourself up for success by subscribing to Max — HBO’s premium streaming service. Subscriptions start at $9.99/month and there’s currently no free trial available. However, we’ve rounded up your best options for at least saving a few bucks on the premium streamer below.
Most people will find that the annual Max subscription with ads is the best bang for their buck. While paying monthly will run you $9.99 per month, an annual plan goes for just $99.99 or $8.33 per month — that’s about 17% in savings. The good news is that with an annual subscription, you’ll not only be able to stream Priscilla when it arrives on Max, but also plenty of other A24 films throughout the year.
If you can’t stand ads interrupting your viewing experience, you’ll be better off opting for the Max Ad-Free annual subscription. It’s not cheap by any means at $149.99/year, but it will save you about 22% compared to paying $15.99/month.
If you’re a Cricket customer on the $60/month unlimited plan, you get Max with ads for no cost — no questions asked. Just select Cricket as your provider when you login to Max, enter your credentials, and boom: you’re in. Stream Priscilla when it’s released and whatever else you want without any monthly or annual fees. Cricket customers on other plans can also upgrade or change over to the $60/month unlimited plan to get Max for free.
A bit more nuanced than the Cricket deal, but definitely worth looking into: existing AT&T customers on select wireless and internet plans are eligible to get Max for free. For those who haven’t already, you can check your account to see if you’re eligible and it’ll help you get signed up for no cost. Unfortunately, Max is no longer offered to new customers, so if you change or terminate your service, you’ll lose that free access.
The following AT&T wireless plans give users free access to Max with ads:
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AT&T Unlimited Elite
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AT&T Unlimited PlusSM
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AT&T Unlimited Plus EnhancedSM
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AT&T Unlimited ChoiceSM
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AT&T Unlimited Choice IISM
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AT&T Unlimited Choice EnhancedSM
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AT&T Unlimited &MoreSM Premium
AT&T Fiber Internet 1000, 2000, or 5000 users who purchased their plans within specific date ranges can also score Max for no charge. However, the promotion ended on June 5, 2022. If you’ve moved your service or changed your plan since then, your Max benefit is no longer valid. Learn more about eligibility over on the AT&T Max Sign-in FAQ page.