Peter Jackson's Beatles Documentary 'Get Back' Coming From Disney Later This Year
Early last year, word broke that Peter Jackson was working on massive Beatles documentary, encompassing never-before-seen footage and never-before-heard audio from the legendary band. And now we know who is distributing the film, and when we'll be able to see the doc. Jackson's film, titled The Beatles: Get Back, is due out on in theaters this September from Disney.
Disney has purchased the rights to Peter Jackson's Beatles documentary, now titled The Beatles: Get Back. The film will be distributed in the United States and Canada on September 4, 2020, with additional details and dates for the film's global release to follow. The doc is compiled from over 55 hours of unseen footage, filmed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969, and 140 hours of mostly unheard audio recordings from the "Let It Be" album sessions, as well as the Let It Be movie. The footage has been restored by Park Road Post Production of Wellington, New Zealand. The music in the film will be mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios in London.
"No band has had the kind of impact on the world that The Beatles have had, and The Beatles: Get Back is a front-row seat to the inner workings of these genius creators at a seminal moment in music history, with spectacularly restored footage that looks like it was shot yesterday," said Disney's Bob Iger. "I'm a huge fan myself, so I could not be happier that Disney is able to share Peter Jackson's stunning documentary with global audiences in September."
Peter Jackson added: "Working on this project has been a joyous discovery. I've been privileged to be a fly on the wall while the greatest band of all time works, plays and creates masterpieces. I'm thrilled that Disney have stepped up as our distributor. There's no one better to have our movie seen by the greatest number of people."
The surviving Beatles weighed-in, too. "I am really happy that Peter has delved into our archives to make a film that shows the truth about The Beatles recording together," said Paul McCartney. "The friendship and love between us comes over and reminds me of what a crazily beautiful time we had."
And Ringo Starr added: "I'm really looking forward to this film. Peter is great and it was so cool looking at all this footage. There was hours and hours of us just laughing and playing music, not at all like the version that came out. There was a lot of joy and I think Peter will show that. I think this version will be a lot more peace and loving, like we really were."
The original Let It Be film is also going to be restored and released at a later date. Get Back "brings to light much more of the band's intimate recording sessions for 'Let It Be' and their entire 42-minute performance on the rooftop of Apple's Savile Row London office. While there is no shortage of material of The Beatles' extensive touring earlier in their careers, "The Beatles: Get Back" features the only notable footage of the band at work in the studio, capturing John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as they create their now-classic songs from scratch, laughing, bantering and playing to the camera."