Peter Jackson Is Working On Another Beatles Project That's 'Not Really A Documentary'
Folks, we are about to get more of The Beatles, courtesy of Peter Jackson. Jackson's 2021 docuseries, "The Beatles: Get Back," allowed a behind-the-scenes look into the band's 1970 album, "Let it Be," and granted a unique perspective on the creative process that was a part of history in the making. Now, Jackson is working on another Beatles-centered project, although he has clarified that "it is not really a documentary" (via Deadline):
"I'm talking to The Beatles about another project, something very, very different than Get Back. We're seeing what the possibilities are, but it's another project with them. It's not really a documentary ... and that's all I can really say."
Jackson's statement hints that things are not quite finalized at the moment and that he is still in the collaborative, figuring-out stage with the popular English rock band. Nevertheless, this marks the inception of a new stage in Jackson's career, and the upcoming project could potentially steer towards fresh creative directions and grant us something never done before in terms of media representation of The Beatles.
Another Jackson-Beatles collaboration
While working on "Get Back," Jackson had tasked himself with the daunting undertaking of sifting through 60 hours of previously unseen footage of The Beatles, shot by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969. Although "Get Back" was originally supposed to be a feature film, Jackson took the documentary route and broke the events down to three two-hour episodes. This documentary showcased the members of the band having a good time while writing and rehearsing music for what would be their final studio album.
Jackson will be working closely with the two living members of the band, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and given how intense the filmmaking process for "Get Back" was, the same can be said about his upcoming project. Needless to say, if any restorative footage work is going to be involved in this ongoing project, it would require a frame-by-frame sharpening of images to make it better suited to today's viewing audience.
In an interview with The Guardian, Jackson expressed his respect for McCartney and Starr and spoke about the legacy of the band, which inspired him to work on "Get Back" in the first place:
"Now, they [The Beatles] are our grandparents or great-grandparents. But here, John and Ringo are 28, Paul is 26 and George is 25, and you never once feel this footage is 52 years old. I've always thought their music transcends generations, but this will make them seem young again."
Details about Jackson's upcoming Beatles project are scant, but stay tuned for more details as and when they are unveiled at /Film.