Last year Disney released The Beatles: Get Back on Disney+. This 3-episode docuseries by director Peter Jackson, takes a very in-depth look over the course of six hours at the recording sessions for The Beatles final album, Get Back. The docuseries took a look at the recording process from many different aspects and was an instant hit. Even though it was a hit, director Peter Jackson revealed that it is unlikely that there will be an extended cut of the docuseries even though there is plenty of material.
Peter Jackson shared the news on The Business podcast. Towards the end of the podcast, host Kim Masters said “I know you’re doing an expanded version of ‘Beatles: Get Back,’ Jackson quickly responded, “I’m not, no.”
“I’m not, no. I’m fighting to, Kim, help me,” Jackson said. “Disney and Apple are reluctant because they say — and they might be quite right — that there’s no market anymore for extended cuts. But I know that there’s five or six hours of fantastic material that we didn’t include, and I don’t want it to go back to the vaults for fifty years. So, let’s just say that it’s a conversation that’s happening, but it’s not necessarily a definitive one at this point.”
Disney and Apple’s reticence to release is not a major surprise. Disney doesn’t have a track record of releasing extended cuts of their films. However, Jackson shared that there is easily another six hours of content that is useable. The Beatles are also one of the biggest bands of all time and demand for content from them is still in high demand. An extended cut could potentially bring in more revenue for both companies. However, that doesn’t seem to be an option right now.
The Beatles: Get Back Official Description
The Beatles: Get Back takes audiences back in time to the band’s January 1969 recording sessions, which became a pivotal moment in music history. The docuseries showcases The Beatles’ creative process as they attempt to write 14 new songs in preparation for their first live concert in over two years. Faced with a nearly impossible deadline, the strong bonds of friendship shared by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are put to the test. The docuseries is compiled from nearly 60 hours of unseen footage shot over 21 days, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969, and from more than 150 hours of unheard audio, most of which has been locked in a vault for over half a century. Jackson is the only person in 50 years to have been given access to this Beatles treasure trove, all of which has now been brilliantly restored. What emerges is an unbelievably intimate portrait of The Beatles, showing how, with their backs against the wall, they could still rely on their friendship, good humor, and creative genius. While plans derail and relationships are put to the test, some of the world’s most iconic songs are composed and performed. The docuseries 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. The three-part docuseries includes never-before-seen, restored footage that at times includes explicit language, mature themes, and smoking. Viewer discretion is advised.
What do you think about a potential extended cut of The Beatles: Get Back being released? Would you like to see it? Or should it stay in the vault? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
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