Last year, Disney+ released The Beatles: Get Back, a three-episode, six-hour docuseries that took viewers back in time to the legendary band’s January 1969 recording sessions for what would be their final album, Let it Be. The series — which documented not just the band writing, rehearsing and, recording the album but their interpersonal struggles as well — was met with massive acclaim. But despite the acclaim and popularity, filmmaker Peter Jackson says it’s unlikely that an extended cut of the series — despite there being plenty of material for it.
Speaking on The Business podcast (via The Playlist), Jackson corrected host Kim Masters when she commented that Jackson was working on an expanded version of the series, saying that he wasn’t, but he was fighting to.
“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 isn’t exactly known for being big on extended or director’s cuts of their properties, but the flip side of that is that The Beatles is arguable one of the most significant musical acts in contemporary history. There could potentially be a market for such a release just given the enduring status of the band, though one does have to wonder what new could be gleaned form an addition six hours of recordings.
The official description of The Beatles: Get Back is as follows: “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.”
The Beatles: Get Back is streaming now on Disney+.
