The classic Beatles documentary series, Anthology, is being remastered by Peter Jackson’s production companies and will stream on Disney+ later this year. Along with digitally enhanced versions of the original eight episodes, there will be a brand-new ninth episode, created from previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr reuniting around the time of the original series’ release.
First aired by ITV in 1995, the series was praised as the definitive Beatles documentary. It brought together the three surviving band members with their producer George Martin, former press officer Derek Taylor, and one-time road manager Neil Aspinall to tell the story of their career in their own words. The release was accompanied by the single “Free As a Bird,” the first new music from the Liverpool quartet since their breakup. The track was so heavily guarded that EMI used armed security to protect it before its release.
The remastered series, timed to the 30th anniversary of the original, is the latest Beatles project from Jackson’s Wingnut Films and Park Road Post teams. They previously worked on the eight-hour Disney+ docuseries The Beatles: Get Back—which used restored footage originally shot by Michael Lindsay-Hogg for his 1970 film Get Back—and the accompanying concert film, described by Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw as “unmissable.”
An album will also be released, featuring session outtakes, previously unreleased demos, and other rare recordings curated by George Martin’s son, Giles. Anthology 4 includes new mixes of the singles “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” which originally accompanied the TV series, featuring isolated John Lennon vocals used by the songs’ original producer, Jeff Lynne. Giles Martin has also remastered the three original Anthology albums from 1995 and 1996. The project will be released in November, along with an updated version of the Anthology book.
This is the latest high-profile Beatles project, alongside a series of four films by Sam Mendes, each focusing on a different band member. Since the Anthology project uses documentary footage rather than dramatization, the approval process is expected to be simpler than for the films.
Ringo Starr has previously commented on the movie scripts, noting that getting them right required some input from him. He said, “They had a writer—a very good writer, great reputation—and he wrote it well, but it had nothing to do with [wife] Maureen and me. That’s not how we were. I’d say, ‘We would never do that.’”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Peter Jacksons new episode for The Beatles Anthology designed to be clear and helpful for all levels of interest
General Information
Q Is Peter Jackson really making a new Beatles documentary
A Yes He is creating a new standalone episode that will serve as an official Part 3 to the original 1995 Anthology series
Q What is this new episode called
A Its currently untitled but is often referred to as the new Anthology episode or the Part 3 project
Q Is this the same as the Get Back documentary
A No Get Back focused on the 1969 Let It Be recording sessions This new project will cover the entire Beatles story using the original Anthology interviews from the 90s as its foundation
Q When will it be released
A A specific release date has not been announced yet It is expected to come out in 2026 or 2027
Content Footage
Q What will be in this new episode
A It will feature restored and upgraded footage from the original 1995 Anthology interviews with Paul George Ringo and John enhanced with modern technology
Q Will there be any neverbeforeseen footage
A Its very likely Peter Jacksons team has access to the Beatles extensive archive and they specialize in restoring and presenting unseen material as they did with Get Back
Q Will it use the same AI technology as Get Back
A Yes Peter Jacksons WingNut Films will use their MAL audio separation technology to clean up old interview audio and their visual restoration tools to enhance the picture quality
Q How long will the new episode be
A The runtime hasnt been confirmed but its expected to be a featurelength presentation
Purpose Context
Q Why are they making this now
A The project was initiated to celebrate the upcoming 30th anniversary of the original Anthology series and to upgrade the interviews with modern film restoration techniques that werent available then
