'Beatles: Get Back': Peter Jackson's Doc Turns Into An 6-Hour Event Series For Disney+

First off, many great music docs are built off the back of lesser music docs. For example, Martin Scorsese‘s “No Direction Home” borrows a lot of footage from Bob Dylan‘s self-made doc, “Eat The Document,” and Peter Jackson does the same with his new Beatles doc. Though Jackson arguably did everyone a favor. While “Eat The Document” is flawed, it’s fascinating. The Beatles self-made documentary of the Let It Be album, “Let It Be,” is tortuous and unwatchable, a tedious doc of a band breaking up while recording an album. But Jackson presumably does what most great filmmakers do: use old footage to craft a compelling story. There’s one difference now, however. Once a film, today, the Walt Disney Studios, Apple Corps Ltd., and WingNut Films Productions Ltd. announced “The Beatles: Get Back,” which is turning into a documentary series for Disney+.

And it’s going to be delivered to fans and music lovers worldwide over the Thanksgiving holidays instead of the originally planned September date. The reasons why? Essentially it was running long.

Disney says because of the wealth of tremendous footage Peter Jackson has reviewed, which he has spent the past three years restoring and editing, “The Beatles: Get Back” will be presented as three separate episodes. Each episode is approximately two hours in length, rolling out over three days, November 25, 26, and 27, 2021, exclusively on Disney+. Yep, new 6 hour Beatles doc.

“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 and Chairman of the Board, 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.”

Peter Jackson commented, “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.”

He added, “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.”

Here’s the official synopsis:

The documentary showcases the warmth, camaraderie, and creative genius that defined the legacy of the iconic foursome, compiled from over 60 hours of unseen footage shot in January 1969 (by Michael Lindsay-Hogg) and more than 150 hours of unheard audio, all of which has been brilliantly restored. Jackson is the only person in 50 years to have been given access to these private film archives. “The Beatles: Get Back” is the story of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr as they plan their first live show in over two years, capturing the writing and rehearsing of 14 new songs, originally intended for release on an accompanying live album. The documentary 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.

There you have it, 6-hour, three-part Beatles doc coming to Disney+ on Thanksgiving. Vanity Fair has more details and exclusive photos if you want a deeper dive.