Let It Be: out-of-circulation Beatles documentary remastered for Disney+ - when is it out?

Having teased an announcement through their social media channels, Disney+ has announced that Michael Lindsay-Hogg's 1970 documentary "Let It Be," which provides an in-depth look at The Beatles' album of the same name, is set to be restored and will be available on Disney+. 

The film, known for capturing the band's final concert on the rooftop of Apple Corps in London, hasn't been widely available for 50 years and features a significant amount of footage that wasn't included in the recent docuseries "Get Back."

Sir Peter Jackson, who previously utilized Lindsay-Hogg’s unused footage for his 2021 series "Get Back," has overseen the restoration. The audio for "Let It Be" has been remastered using the same technology as "Get Back," ensuring a rich, immersive experience. "I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, Let It Be, has been restored and is finally being re-released," Jackson stated, expressing his appreciation for the film, noting it as essential for completing the narrative begun in "Get Back."

Reflecting on the original timing of the film's release, Lindsay-Hogg mentioned, "Let It Be was ready to go in October/November 1969, but it didn’t come out until April 1970. One month before its release, The Beatles officially broke up." He recalled the melancholy with which fans originally viewed the film, a sentiment that has evolved over time. 

"But, in fact, how often do you get to see artists of this stature working together to make what they hear in their heads into songs? And then you get to the roof, and you see their excitement, camaraderie, and sheer joy in playing together again as a group and know, as we do now, that it was the final time, and we view it with the full understanding of who they were and still are and a little poignancy."

When is The Beatles “Let It Be” released on Disney+?

Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s watershed 1970 documentary on The Beatles is set to arrive on Disney+ on May 8 2024 (subscription required)