We’ve been waiting several years now for a real look at the long-awaited Beatles documentary from director Peter Jackson, but the finish line is now finally in sight. Disney has announced today that Disney+ will serve as the exclusive streaming home for The Beatles: Get Back, which will arrive in the form of three separate, two-hour episodes on three successive days: Nov. 25, 26, 27 of 2021. It’s going to be a bumper crop of never-before-seen Beatles footage, and we couldn’t be more excited.
“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,” said Bob Iger, Executive Chairman, The Walt Disney Company. “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.”
Said Peter Jackson: “In many respects, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s remarkable footage captured multiple storylines. 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.”
The footage making up The Beatles: Get Back was culled from more than 60 hours of unseen footage that was shot by Michael Linsay-Hogg in January 1969, as the foursome rehearsed and worked on new music in anticipation of their first live show in more than two years. That show ended up being The Beatles famous last live performance as a group, the rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row. That essentially makes Get Back a chronicle of the time leading up to one of the most famous Beatles performances ever. Jackson is the only one who has been granted access to that footage in the last half century. Suffice to say, exciting stuff for Beatles fans.
Check out the director’s sneak peek below, and stay tuned for more news as the release date approaches in November.
