For Elvis Presley fans, Netflix’s new documentary is pure gold — packed with untold stories, raw confessions, and the truth behind the King’s most iconic moment.

Return of the King: The Fall & Rise of Elvis Presley takes viewers behind the curtain of his legendary 1968 NBC Comeback Special — the night that not only saved his career but redefined his legacy.

By the mid-60s, Elvis was burned out. Instead of gritty roles like James Dean or Marlon Brando, Hollywood forced him into formulaic musicals. Once electrifying, the King was reduced to singing “Old MacDonald” in Double Trouble. “That to me is a crime,” Priscilla Presley says in the film. “It made him a laughingstock. And he knew it.”

Director Jason Hehir explains that Elvis became “physically ill” at the thought of more bad movies. What he wanted was simple: to return to music. But he hadn’t sung live in seven years, and the fear nearly kept him backstage. “He almost didn’t leave his dressing room,” Hehir reveals.

When Elvis finally stepped out, everything changed. Dressed in black leather, he reclaimed his throne. That outfit, inspired by an old Harley Davidson photo and designed by Bill Belew, became one of rock’s most iconic looks.

Even under blazing lights, drenched in sweat, Elvis radiated rebellion, charisma, and confidence. The comeback special drew huge ratings, its soundtrack landed in Billboard’s Top 10, and suddenly Elvis was relevant again.

“He hadn’t performed in seven years,” Hehir notes. “Those screaming teenage girls were now mothers. And yet, he still had them in the palm of his hand.”

The 1968 comeback wasn’t just a performance — it was a resurrection. Nearly five decades after his passing, Elvis still proves that true legends never fade.