Why Elvis channeled Marlon Brando in icon

Elvis’s Comeback: The Night That Changed Everything

Netflix’s Return of the King: The Fall & Rise of Elvis Presley offers fans an inside look at the legendary 1968 NBC Comeback Special — the performance that reignited Elvis’s career and reshaped his legacy.

From Hollywood Burnout to Stage Revival

By the mid-1960s, Elvis was stuck in forgettable movie roles and far from his musical roots. “It made him a laughingstock. And he knew it,” says Priscilla Presley. Director Jason Hehir adds that Elvis became “physically ill” thinking about more bad films. He wanted music again — but after seven years off stage, returning wasn’t easy.

“He almost didn’t leave his dressing room,” Hehir recalls. “He had horrible stage fright… But once he got out there, he was the most comfortable man in the world.”

The Look That Made History

Elvis’s all-black leather outfit nearly didn’t happen. Inspired by an old photo of Elvis on a Harley, producer Steve Binder and designer Bill Belew created the now-iconic leather suit. Under hot stage lights, Elvis sweat through the set, but the jacket became a symbol of his comeback — bold, rebellious, unforgettable.

The King Reclaims His Crown

The special was a hit. Viewership soared, the soundtrack reached Billboard’s Top 10, and Elvis was once again a force in music. “Those screaming teenage girls were now mothers. And yet, he still had them in the palm of his hand,” says Hehir.