A new documentary is coming to Disney+ that focuses on the career of Elton John. Disney Original Documentary will be creating this documentary that will take a look at his career that spans over 50 years. This will be the official feature on Elton John and include concert footage of him that has never been seen before that will span his entire career. There will also be other hand-written journals and also footage of him and his family.
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances And The Years That Made His Legend” will be rooted in Elton John’s final tour, the “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Tour.” Along with looking at his entire career, it will also capture Elton John’s final months on tour and then climactic sendoff later this year when he performs his final concert in North America at Dodger Stadium. On the other end of his career, the documentary will look at his first five years when he released 10 iconic albums, with seven of them reaching No. 1 on the Billboard charts. During those five years between 1970 and 1975, Elton John became a global phenomenon.
This documentary will be shown at festivals, followed by a limited theatrical run before making its way to Disney+.
“There are no superlatives left to describe Elton John and his impact on music and culture — he’s simply unrivaled,” said Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Like a good Disney story, Elton’s music has both universal appeal and the ability to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level. He has been part of the Disney family since 1994 when he helped make ‘The Lion King’ an instant classic, and we could not be more excited to collaborate with him on this new documentary.”
“Working with R.J. Cutler and David Furnish on what will undoubtedly become the definitional film about the iconic Elton John is a great honor,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television. “Their incredible vision and intimate access to exclusive, never-before-seen anecdotes and footage will provide the deepest, most captivating insight yet into one of the world’s most beloved and prolific artists.”
This documentary promises to be the definitive portrait of one of the world’s most iconic and successful musical artists of all time. There will be interviews and performance clips from Madison Square Garden, London and other performance venues. R.J. Cutler will direct and also produce this documentary with his company, This Machine Filmworks. David Furnish will also produce under his and Elton John’s Rocket Entertainment. They will be joined by Trevor Smith who will also be a producer. John Battsek, Jane Cha Cutler, and Elise Pearlstine will be executive producers.
“What a thrill and an honor it is that David Furnish and I get to create this intimate and unique look at one of the world’s most celebrated artists,” said director and producer R.J. Cutler. “As it has for so many others, Elton John’s music has had deep meaning for me for decades, and this opportunity is nothing short of a career highlight and privilege.”
Director and producer David Furnish says, “Elton and I could not think of a better collaborator than R.J. Cutler for a film that represents more than just Elton’s career — it’s his life. From the Troubadour to Dodger Stadium, we knew that R.J. would help guide Elton’s story and its many layers in a way that feels authentic and evocative. We’re ecstatic to be working together.”
Disney shared the following information about the movie makers for “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances And The Years That Made His Legend.”
R.J. Cutler is an award-winning filmmaker who has made some of the most significant documentaries and television series of the past quarter century. He is the director, producer and writer of four-time Emmy®-nominated and Oscar®-shortlisted feature documentary “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” about music sensation Billie Eilish. His additional feature documentary credits include Critics’ Choice Award-nominated “BELUSHI,” Oscar-nominated “The War Room,” Emmy-nominated “A Perfect Candidate,” the Sundance Award-winning “The September Issue,” the Peabody Award-winning and Oscar-shortlisted “Listen to Me Marlon,” the Grierson Award-winning “Thin” and “The World According to Dick Cheney.”
Submarine’s Josh Braun negotiated the deal with Disney. Danny Passman of Gang, Tyre, Ramen, Brown & Passman, Inc. represented Rocket Pictures. Marisa Fermin and Sarah Santos represented This Machine Filmworks. Jeanne Newman of Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox represented R.J. Cutler.
R.J. Cutler and David Furnish are directing and producing under their respective production companies, This Machine Filmworks and Rocket Entertainment. Trevor Smith is also producer. Executive producers are John Battsek, Jane Cha Cutler and Elise Pearlstein. Marjon Javadi is VP, Originals for Documentaries and Docuseries for Disney Branded Television/Disney Original Documentary.
What do you think about “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances And The Years That Made His Legend?” Are you excited to see it? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
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