Director Peter Jackson is revising what you thought you knew about The Beatles and has gifted fans a sneak peek into his upcoming rockumentary, The Beatles: Get Back.
It’s time to grow out your sideburns and mo’ because Jackson (Lord of the Rings trilogy) is taking viewers right back to 1970, with 55 hours of never-before-seen, digitally restored footage of The Beatles as they recorded their last studio album, Let It Be.
But if you think you know the story and saga behind the infamous Let It Be album, which was recorded in the months leading to their dissolution, think again.
Unlike Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s version from 1970 that famously focused on infighting between band members, Jackson’s film takes an alternative approach.
Peter Jackson has released an exclusive sneak peek of his upcoming documentary “@TheBeatles: Get Back” for fans everywhere to enjoy.
The Beatles: Get Back Opens in Theatres August 27, 2021 #TheBeatlesGetBack pic.twitter.com/df5RjID56Z
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) December 21, 2020
“I was relieved to discover the reality is very different to the myth,” Jackson said in a statement.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, who disagreed with Linsday-Hogg’s portrayal of the band’s bickering, gave Jackson their blessing to revisit the Let It Be studio sessions.
The Oscar winner’s preview tells a different tale of goofier, sillier times as four friends navigate superstardom and song writing.
“Sure, there’s moments of drama, but none of the discord this project has long been associated with,” Jackson said.
“Watching John, Paul, George and Ringo work together, creating now-classic songs from scratch, is not only fascinating – it’s funny, uplifting and surprisingly intimate.
“It’s like a time machine transports us back to 1969, and we get to sit in the studio watching these four friends make great music together.”
What sets The Beatles: Get Back apart from the numerous other Beatle documentaries is Jackson’s impressive restoration of the archival footage shot on 16mm to near-perfect conditions – even by 2020’s standards.

The Beatles received their MBEs in October 1965. Photo: AAP
The film was originally due to be released in the later months of this year, however Jackson said production had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The only good thing, really, is that we’re editing the movie in New Zealand, and now that our country has largely stamped out the virus, we’re able to come back into the cutting room and carry on with the editing that we’re doing.”
The Beatles: Get Back will open in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on September 2, 2021.