Austin Butler's first film appearance? It was in The Strangers (2009)

The Elvis and Dune 2 actor was 18, and he's changed a lot!

Austin Butler will have had a busy 2024: after the epic series Masters of the Airhe was at the heart of Dune 2biggest success of the first half of the year before the release ofA little something extra in France and Inside Out 2 in the world. And right now, he's starring in Jeff Nichols' acclaimed film, The Bikeriders.

Thanks to the success of Denis Villeneuve's blockbuster, the 32-year-old Australian actor is multiplying the film shoots, all of which are very enticing. For example, he has just wrapped the one forEddingtonthe next production by Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar…) and could well succeed Val Kilmer in the prequel of Heat that Michael Mann is to shoot. His popularity is suddenly so great that Disney would have him in its sights for relaunch the saga Pirates of the Caribbean.

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His beautiful rise is closely followed by the public. Many spotted him in the role of Rex in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywoodby Quentin Tarantino, in 2019. The same year, Jim Jarmusch had also hired him for his zombie film The Dead Don't Die. Since then, it has conquered the planet in immersing himself 200% in the role of Elvis Presley for Baz Luhrmann, achieving star status at just 30 years old. And his first Oscar nomination.

From Disney Channel to Horror Movies
Before really breaking through, Austin Butler had a string of roles in film and television for twelve years. In 2007, for example, he appeared in Hannah Montanathen signed the following years for one or two episodes of Experts: Miamiof the Wizards of Waverly Place or ofArrow. Dozens of television experiences accumulated over a decade, but few film roles. Austin's first appearance on the big screen was in a children's film by John Schultz (Drive me Crazy, Magic Basket) titled The Zintrus (Aliens in the Atticin the original version). A science fiction comedy released just in time for Halloween 2009.

The pitch? “To strengthen family ties, the entire Pearson family decides to spend their holidays in a large house lost in the countryside. Uncle Nate, his son Jake, grandmother Nana Rose and the twins Art and Lee come to join them. One evening, a strange storm hits the house, and four mysterious objects land on the roof. They are spaceships carrying aliens determined to conquer the Earth… The aliens have formidable technology capable of controlling minds… but it only works on adults! To save their family – and the world – the children can only count on themselves. Then begins in the shadows, unbeknownst to the adults, a battle whose outcome will decide the fate of all humanity…”

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In the role of Jake, Butler was flanked by Carter Jenkins (later in After chapter 3 And 4) and Ashley Tisdale (already famous for The Suite Life of Zack and Cody And High School Musical) in this family-friendly production written by Adam F. Goldberg, who would later concoct the series The Goldbergs drawing inspiration from his own childhood.

At the time, it was only the fourth feature film from 20th Century Fox to be shot in live action, but with digitally animated characters, after Garfield and its sequel, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. A process that was expensive: the budget of Zintrus is estimated at $45 million, and the film, which did not receive good reviews, only earned $57 million at the worldwide box office. Three weeks after its release, the tidal wave 2012by Roland Emmerich, has amassed 603 million greenbacks worldwide.

It must be said that it is not a great success. With its expected gags and its uninspired design, The Zintrus is quickly seen… but “quickly forgotten” as Première wrote at the end of 2009: “By betting everything on comedy and using its only gag to the limit, this new hyper-formatted opus by John Schultz, forgettable since its making of Jurassic Parkfilmed in 1993 (!), does not go beyond the stage of a big farce, outrageously interpreted by uninspired actors. So we'll move on.”

After this inconclusive experience, we had to wait until 2012 for another film starring Austin Butler to be released in theaters: the indie comedy My Uncle Rafael. In 2015, change of register with horror production The Intrudersand a year later, Kevin Smith hired him for his crazy comedy Yoga Hosersalongside Lily-Rose Depp. In 2018, he is at the heart of a new production aimed at (young) adults, with Awkwafina, The friends.

In parallel, in 2013 and 2017, Austin Butler signed for two long-running series, appearing in around twenty episodes of The Carrie Diaries (the prequel to Sex and the City) and Shannara Chronicles. This fantasy series was conceived by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who would later write Wednesday for Netflix and Tim Burton, as well as Beetlejuice 2.

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Here is the synopsis and trailer for The Bikeriderscurrently showing at the cinema:

In a city bar, Kathy, a young woman with a strong temperament, meets Benny, who has just joined the Vandals biker gang, and immediately falls under his spell. Like the entire country, the gang, led by the enigmatic Johnny, is gradually evolving… While the bikers welcomed all those who had trouble finding their place in society, the Vandals become a band of shameless thugs. Benny will then have to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the gang.

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