Iron MaidenMusic biopics and documentaries have a few things in common.
When they’re great, they’re genuinely informative, interesting, entertaining, and you’re quick to recommend them to your friends and family. When they’re bad, they’re, well, terrible. They don’t cover enough ground to actually learn anything, and they don’t touch on fascinating or controversial moments in an artist’s history (or handle said topics badly).
However good or disappointing a music biopic or documentary is, one thing is for sure in 2026: it’s gonna be successful.
Some are record breakers and Oscar winners—think Bohemian Rhapsody—and others hardly impact the culture. But no matter what, people will go to the cinema, tune in on Netflix, and share their thoughts on social media.
As Michael breaks box office records in the US and gives back to Michael Jackson fans, The Music has rounded up other music biopics and documentaries coming this year.
From heavy metal to pop, hip-hop to country, classic rock, and even looking back at Summersault Festival—the travelling event that took over Australian venues in the summer of 1995/1996—there’s a little something for every music lover.
Here are the music biopics and documentaries you need to keep an eye out for this year.
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition
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British heavy metal veterans Iron Maiden are looking back on their incredible career as they celebrate their 50th anniversary, with a new documentary exploring the highs and lows. The feature-length documentary lands in Australian cinemas on Thursday, 7 May.
Burning Ambition was directed by Malcolm Venville (Churchill at War) and produced by Dominic Freeman (Spirits in the Forest – A Depeche Mode Film).
The official documentary synopsis reads:
With unprecedented access to official band archives, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition charts five decades of one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Featuring interviews with the band and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich, and Chuck D, this electrifying film offers an intimate look at their uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their global army of fans.
Check out the trailer below.
KYLIE
Australia’s Queen of Pop, Kylie Minogue, will be celebrated in a forthcoming Netflix documentary series.
Netflix will explore how Kylie has “defied the odds” and enjoyed a five-decade career in entertainment in an intimate, three-part series. The documentary will, of course, visit her breakthrough role as Charlene in Neighbours, before she became a chart-topping musical success with a penchant for reinvention.
KYLIE will not only examine the singer’s successes and career milestones but also how she became one of music’s most enduring artists, influencing generations of pop stars.
No release date has been confirmed. But, it’s been announced that Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning director Michael Harte (Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, BECKHAM) will direct the documentary series.
Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear
Travis Barker is the star of a forthcoming documentary film coming to Hulu.
The Blink-182 drummer, songwriter, and music producer, plus founder of the clothing company Famous Stars and Straps, and the record labels LaSalle Records in 2004 and DTA Records in 2019, is the subject of Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear.
The documentary is directed by Justin Krook and Michael Dwyer, produced by Matthew Weaver and Nick Stern (Media Weaver Entertainment), and executive produced by Lawrence Vavra and John Janick.
It’s set to dig deeper than Barker’s fame as the drummer of Blink-182. It will reportedly detail a “complex man” who deals with pain, grief, and the “thin line between survival and surrender.” Plus, Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear will give voice to the drummer’s collaborators, as well as icons of punk rock, and his loved ones.
The documentary is set to premiere later this year.
The Best Summer
Summersault was a music festival that travelled across Australia in the summer of 1995/1996 with an epic line-up of international talent. The event is the subject of a forthcoming documentary called The Best Summer, premiering in Australia for the first time at the Sydney Film Festival this June.
With a line-up featuring Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Beck, Pavement, Rancid, Jawbreaker, Bikini Kill, and others, plus local acts Jebediah and Gerling, reviews were positive, but unfortunately, the event never returned.
The Best Summer originally premiered at the renowned Sundance Film Festival. Featuring archival footage from the one-off concert tour, from the performances to the backstage moments, the official synopsis details the documentary as follows:
An infectiously fun tour diary, The Best Summer unearths a treasure trove of never-before-seen footage from one of the most stacked festival lineups ever to grace Australian shores. Dusting off tapes recovered from her garage while fleeing the recent Malibu fires, director Tamra Davis (Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, SFF 2010; Billy Madison) pieces together an electric time capsule of ’90s alternative music legends at the peak of their youthful powers.
Featuring candid, frequently hilarious interviews with the likes of Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Kim Deal, Beck, Dave Grohl and Kathleen Hanna, alongside raucous on-stage antics, it’s an all-access pass to a momentous moment in Australian music history.
Check out the trailer below.
Billy Idol Should Be Dead
Billy Idol is the subject of a new documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, which was showing in the US earlier this year.
Directed by Jonas Åkerlund (Lords of Chaos) and produced by Live Nation Studios, the documentary had its premiere at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
In the trailer, which you can see below, fans can see artists including Miley Cyrus, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, and Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan discussing Billy Idol’s impact.
The documentary follows the life and career of Billy Idol, a punk and new-wave pioneer. It features never-before-seen archival footage and personal interviews with the singer, his family, collaborators, and those he inspired.
Noah Kahan: Out of Body
Stick Season hitmaker Noah Kahan is the subject of a new Netflix documentary, which dropped in April. The streaming service notes that the singer will be captured “on an emotional homecoming” in Vermont as he started working on his highly anticipated follow-up album, all while facing mounting pressure.
In the documentary, fans see Kahan in a new light: back home after a whirlwind couple of years that led to sold-out tours and unprecedented acclaim.
“When we started filming, I had no idea what we’d capture, only that Noah was determined to be honest about everything, especially the messy bits,” said Nick Sweeney (Santa Camp, AKA Jane Roe). “He was in a strange in-between moment, caught in the collision between almost surreal fame and a quieter inner world he’d tried to keep offstage.
“What we captured over the course of a year surprised me — moments that were thrilling, terrifying, [and] hilarious, often all at once. I’m so excited to partner with Netflix to invite viewers worldwide into Noah Kahan’s head as his world shifts beneath his feet.”
Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool
Netflix recently released another music documentary, and this one is about one of today’s most successful country stars: Lainey Wilson.
The streaming service’s synopsis notes that Wilson “redefines what it means to be a modern country star in this documentary exploring her struggles and triumphs at a pivotal career moment.”
In an Instagram post, Wilson explained that it’s a rare look into aspects of her life that have long been kept hidden from the wider public. “It’s one thing to sing about your life, but it’s another to open the door and let people in to watch it unfold,” she explains.
“Going into this, I thought I was going to be sharing some things about me and my life nobody knew, but I truly think during the couple of years of filming, I figured some things out about myself. I opened the door to my house, my life, my relationships and things I haven’t allowed many people to see.
“My folks always taught me to make everybody feel at home, so I want y’all to come on in and make yourself at home.”
BONUS: 2027 & Beyond
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg is set to be the subject of a biopic heading our way in 2027.
Who’s playing the young Calvin Broadus Jr. on his way to becoming Snoop Doggy Dogg? Outer Banks star Jonathan Daviss. Additionally, Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) has been confirmed as the movie’s director, and Brian Grazer, who produced the beloved Eminem film, 8 Mile, is set to serve as producer.
No release date has been confirmed, but Snoop himself has dropped a major teaser: the biopic will be rated R. He explained, “After my brothers told their story in Straight Outta Compton, it’s my turn.”
Bon Jovi
After numerous studios threw their hats in the ring, Universal Pictures has confirmed that a biopic about ‘80s rockers Bon Jovi is on the way.
The film will track Bon Jovi’s formative years and the journey to having their rock anthems performed in stadiums across the globe. The film will follow their origin through Slippery When Wet, the band’s third album, which contains juggernaut singles Livin’ on a Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive, and You Give Love a Bad Name.
Screenwriter Cody Brotter (Killing Satoshi) will reportedly pen the script. While no director is currently attached to the project, the film is set to be produced by Kevin J. Walsh (The Instigators, Manchester By the Sea) and Gotham Chopra.
The latter’s Religion of Sports studio produced the 2024 four-episode Hulu documentary, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story. That project had full access to the band and coincided with their 40th anniversary. No release date for the film has been confirmed.
Joni Mitchell
Earlier this year, legendary record executive Clive Davis confirmed that Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep will portray Joni Mitchell in an upcoming biopic.
Davis shared the news during his annual pre-Grammy Awards party. At the event, Davis introduced superstars in attendance, including Mitchell. He announced that Streep would portray her in Almost Famous filmmaker Cameron Crowe’s long-awaited biopic.
Crowe previously said that he’d been working on the project “for about four years” and had regular meetings with Mitchell, “where I can ask her anything and she speaks with her heart about all kinds of stuff. It’s a movie that will not be from a distance… This is from her perspective, her life, looking out,” he explained.
The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event
The long-awaited four separate biopics about The Beatles—dubbed “a four-film cinematic event”—will finally be released in April 2028.
Directed by Sam Mendes—the director known for American Beauty, 1917, and the James Bond entries Skyfall and Spectre—each member of the band will be spotlighted in their own film.
The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event will depict Paul Mescal (Gladiator II, Normal People) as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson (The Iron Claw, Babygirl) as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan (Saltburn, The Batman) as Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, Les Misérables) as George Harrison.
Scorpions
European rockers Scorpions are set to be the subject of a forthcoming biopic called Wind of Change—named after their hit single—Deadline reported last year.
The film will reportedly focus on the band’s early days, coming up in post-WWII Germany, before becoming a household name and selling millions of records worldwide. American Wrestler: The Wizard’s Alex Ranarivelo will direct the film, with actors Dominic West (The Wire), Alexander Dreymon (The Last Kingdom), Ludwig Trepte (Generation War), and Ed Speleers (Eragon) attached to the project.
Release date: to be confirmed.
The Replacements
American band The Replacements is reportedly set to be the subject of a music biopic, with Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard attached to the project.
In late 2025, Variety reported that Wolfhard—an actor and musician—was looking at his post-Stranger Things career by the way of adapting Bob Mehr’s biography, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements, along with his father, Eric Wolfhard.
No other details have been revealed at the time of publication.
Other biopics reportedly in development include movies about Britney Spears, Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne, Roy Orbison, Boyz II Men, Anthony Kiedis, and Robert Johnson.
There isn’t much information attached to any of them, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take notes and keep an eye out for them. Meanwhile, the long-speculated Madonna film is now reportedly hitting the small screen via a limited series on Netflix.
