“THE BEATLES: GET BACK,” A
DISNEY+ ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY
SERIES DIRECTED BY PETER
JACKSON, TO DEBUT EXCLUSIVELY ON
DISNEY+ FOR THE THANKSGIVING
HOLIDAYS
Over Six Hours of Never-Before-Seen Restored
Footage, Including
The Beatles’ Last Live Performance, to Roll Out
on Disney+
Over Three Days, November 25, 26 and 27, 2021
BURBANK, Calif. (June 17, 2021)—The Walt Disney Studios, Apple Corps Ltd. and WingNut Films
Productions Ltd. announced today
that Disney+ will bring “The Beatles: Get Back,” a Disney+ Original documentary
series directed by Peter Jackson, to fans and
music lovers worldwide over the Thanksgiving holidays.
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+.
“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.”
Directed by three-time Oscar®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson
(“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “They Shall Not Grow Old”), “The Beatles: Get
Back” takes audiences back in
time to the band’s intimate recording sessions during a pivotal moment in music
history. 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.
An exciting new collaboration between The Beatles and Jackson
presented by The Walt Disney Studios in association with Apple Corps Ltd. and
WingNut Films Productions Ltd., “The Beatles: Get Back” is directed by Peter
Jackson, produced by Clare Olssen (“They Shall Not Grow Old”) and Jonathan
Clyde (“Eight Days a Week”), with Ken Kamins (“The Hobbit” trilogy) and Apple
Corps’ Jeff Jones (“Eight Days a Week”) serving as executive producers. Jabez
Olssen (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) serves as the documentary’s editor, and
the music is mixed by Giles Martin (“Rocketman”) and Sam Okell (“Yesterday”).
“The Beatles: Get Back” is being made with the enthusiastic
support of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison.
Ahead of the documentary’s Disney+ debut, Apple Corps
Ltd./Callaway Arts & Entertainment will release The Beatles: Get Back book on October 12. Beautifully
designed and produced, the 240-page hardcover complements the “Get Back”
documentary with transcriptions of The Beatles’ recorded conversations and
hundreds of exclusive, never before published photos from the three weeks of
sessions. The collectible book will be published in nine international language
editions, including English.
About
Disney+:
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from
Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The
Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the
new general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer
streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney
Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers
commercial-free streaming alongside an ever-growing collection of exclusive
originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and
animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disney’s
long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also
the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney
Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service or as part of
The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected
TV devices.
About Apple Corps Ltd.:
Apple Corps Ltd. was founded by The Beatles in 1968 to oversee the
band’s own creative and business interests. As part of its management of The
Beatles’ entire intellectual property canon, the London-based company
administers the legendary band’s recorded catalogue along with film,
theatrical, and book publishing rights. Apple Corps has piloted
innovative, award-winning Beatles projects which have become benchmarks for
pioneering accomplishment, including The Beatles Anthology TV
series, book and music collections; The Beatles 1; Anniversary
Editions for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The BEATLES (‘White
Album’) and Abbey Road; The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil®;
SiriusXM’s The Beatles Channel; and “The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The
Touring Years,” directed by Ron Howard.
About WingNut Films Ltd.:
WingNut Films is based in Wellington, New Zealand and was founded
by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. WingNut Films has produced all of Peter
Jackson’s films, including “Heavenly Creatures,” “The Lord of the Rings” and
“The Hobbit Trilogies,” “King Kong,” “The Lovely Bones” and most recently the
acclaimed First World War documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old.” WingNut has
also produced “The Adventures of Tin Tin,” directed by Steven Spielberg,
“District 9,” directed by Neill Blomkamp, “West of Memphis,” directed by Amy
Berg and “Mortal Engines,” directed by Christian Rivers.
# # #