This year marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles break-up and their final studio album Let It Be. To coincide, Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is helming a new documentary film called The Beatles: Get Back. The movie was set for a September release but has now been delayed to 2021.
Disney, who hold the distribution rights, have moved The Beatles: Get Back’s release date to August 27, 2021.
The delay is due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic and the studio want a cinematic release for the highly-anticipated documentary.
The Beatles: Get Back follows on from 1970 Let It Be documentary, which included footage from the January 1969 recording sessions of the album of the same name.
Jackson’s film is set to recut Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s film in a more positive light, challenging the common belief of ill-feelings among the Fab Four at the time.
READ MORE: The Beatles: First Abbey Road performance demo sparks court battle
For The Beatles: Get Back, Jackson has had access to over 55 hours of unseen footage and 140 hours of audio.
What is used will be restored, including the full 42-minute rooftop concert, which was The Beatles final live performance.
Jackson and his team previously restored and colourised unseen First World War footage for 2018 documentary film They Shall Not Grow Old.
The Beatles: Get Back has been supported by both surviving members of the Fab Four, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr.
The drummer added: “Peter is great and it was so cool looking at all this footage.
“There was hours and hours of us just laughing and playing music, not at all like the version that came out.
“There was a lot of joy and I think Peter will show that.
“I think this version will be a lot more peace and loving, like we really were.”
On the project, outgoing Disney boss Bob Iger said: “No band has had the kind of impact on the world that The Beatles have had, and The Beatles: Get Back is a front-row seat to the inner workings of these genius creators at a seminal moment in music history, with spectacularly restored footage that looks like it was shot yesterday.
“I’m a huge fan myself, so I could not be happier that Disney is able to share Peter Jackson’s stunning documentary with global audiences in September.”
While Jackson added: “Working on this project has been a joyous discovery. I’ve been privileged to be a fly on the wall while the greatest band of all time works, plays and creates masterpieces.
“I’m thrilled that Disney have stepped up as our distributor. There’s no one better to have our movie seen by the greatest number of people.”