Peter Jackson Signs On To Direct New Beatles Doco

Lord Of The Rings legend Peter Jackson has been confirmed to direct a new film about The Beatles.

The New Zealand talent will oversee a new project based around 55 hours of unreleased footage of the iconic band filmed in January of 1969 when they were recording seminal LP Let It Be.

Originally slated as a TV special, it’s said the project “organically turned into something completely different”, with approval from Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison.

"The 55 hours of never-before-seen footage and 140 hours of audio made available to us, ensures this movie will be the ultimate ‘fly on the wall’ experience that Beatles fans have long dreamt about - it’s like a time machine transports us back to 1969, and we get to sit in the studio watching these four friends make great music together,” Jackson said.

“After reviewing all the footage and audio that Michael Lindsay-Hogg shot 18 months before they broke up, it’s simply an amazing historical treasure-trove.

“Sure, there’s moments of drama - but none of the discord this project has long been associated with. Watching John, Paul, George, and Ringo work together, creating now-classic songs from scratch, is not only fascinating - it’s funny, uplifting and surprisingly intimate.

"I’m thrilled and honoured to have been entrusted with this remarkable footage - making the movie will be a sheer joy.”

The currently untitled film is yet to be given a release date.