Walt Disney Studios, Apple Corps Ltd. and WingNut Films Productions Ltd. have announced that Peter Jackson’s long in development Beatles documentary titled The Beatles: Get Back is officially skipping theaters, and will instead debut on Disney+ as a three-part documentary series. Originally scheduled for an August 27, 2021, theatrical release, the documentary film-turned-docuseries has now been slated to roll out over three days starting from November 25 through November 27, just in time for this year’s Thanksgiving holidays.
“As a huge Beatles fan myself, I am absolutely thrilled that Disney+ will be the home for this extraordinary documentary series by the legendary filmmaker Peter Jackson,” Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board for The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger said in a statement “This phenomenal collection of never-before-seen footage offers an unprecedented look at the close camaraderie, genius songwriting, and indelible impact of one of the most iconic and culturally influential bands of all time, and we can’t wait to share ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ with fans around the world.”
Because of the wealth of tremendous footage Peter Jackson has reviewed, which he has spent the past three years restoring and editing, each episode of the three-part documentary series will approximately consist of a two-hour runtime.
“In many respects, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s remarkable footage captured multiple storylines,” Jackson said. “The story of friends and of individuals. It is the story of human frailties and of a divine partnership. It is a detailed account of the creative process, with the crafting of iconic songs under pressure, set amid the social climate of early 1969. But it’s not nostalgia – it’s raw, honest, and human. Over six hours, you’ll get to know The Beatles with an intimacy that you never thought possible. I’m very grateful to The Beatles, Apple Corps, and Disney for allowing me to present this story in exactly the way it should be told. I’ve been immersed in this project for nearly three years, and I’m very excited that audiences around the world will finally be able to see it.”
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Acclaimed filmmaker Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back is a unique cinematic experience that takes audiences back in time to The Beatles’ intimate recording sessions during a pivotal moment in music history. The film showcases the warmth, camaraderie, and creative genius that defined the legacy of the iconic foursome. Shot in January 1969 and compiled from over 60 hours of unseen footage (filmed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg) and more than 150 hours of unheard audio, all of which has been brilliantly restored, the new documentary is the story of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as they plan their first live show in over two years and charts the writing and rehearsing of 14 new songs, originally intended for release on an accompanying live album.
The docuseries features – for the first time in its entirety – The Beatles’ last live performance as a group, the unforgettable rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row as well as other songs and classic compositions featured on the band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be.
Shot on January 30, 1969, The Beatles’ surprise rooftop concert marked the band’s first live performance in over two years and their final live set together. The footage captures interactions between the band members, reactions from fans and employees from nearby businesses, and comical attempts to stop the concert by two young London policemen responding to noise complaints.
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An exciting new collaboration between The Beatles and three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) presented by The Walt Disney Studios, The Beatles: Get Back is directed by Jackson, produced by Jackson, Clare Olssen, and Jonathan Clyde, with Ken Kamins and Apple Corps’ Jeff Jones serving as executive producers. Jabez Olssen serves as the film’s editor, and the music is mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell. The three-part docuseries is being made with the enthusiastic support of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison.
Shot on 16mm and blown up to 35mm, the 80-minute Let It Be movie was built around the three weeks of filming, including an edited version of the rooftop concert. The Grammy-winning Let It Be album topped the charts in the U.S. and the U.K.
