Peter Jackson has expanded his upcoming Beatles documentary from a standalone film to a three-part series airing over three nights on Disney+ in November.
Entitled The Beatles: Get Back, the blockbuster documentary chronicles the making of The Beatles’ penultimate album, 1970’s Let It Be. As previously reported, Jackson was given access to 55 hours of never-released footage and 140 hours of audio taken from the recording sessions, which he then restored using the same techniques developed for his acclaimed World War 1 documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old.
Jackson spent the last three years resorting and editing footage of The Beatles originally captured by Michael Lindsay-Hogg for his companion film Let It Be. The Lord of the Rings filmmaker apparently uncovered too much good stuff to squeeze into one film, so he and Disney made the decision to release the documentary as three two-hour installments.
“In many respects, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s remarkable footage captured multiple storylines,” Jackson said in a statement. “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.”
According to Vanity Fair, which published an exclusive first look at the documentary, part of the reason for its expansion was due to the insistence of Jackson, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr to have the full rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row — the final performance of the band’s career — shown in full.
The Beatles’ Get Back will air over Thanksgiving weekend — November 25th, 26th, and 27th — on Disney+. Watch a previously revealed teaser of the documentary below.
