Disney Plus acquires new Elton John documentary Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
The streaming service will follow the success of Get Back with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Disney+ is set to bulk out its already hefty documentary section soon, with Deadline reporting that the streaming service has just closed a deal to acquire the new Elton John documentary Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances And the Years That Made His Legend. The film, directed by The September Issue’s R.J. Cutler and John’s husband, David Furnish, reportedly sold for about $30 million to the entertainment super-giant.
John has been more proactive than most about making sure his story gets told on film by people of his choosing; he previously served as an executive producer on Rocketman, the Taron Egerton-starring biopic about his life from 2019. He’s not listed as a producer on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but, see above re: husband co-directing it—plus the fact that a major chunk of the film will focus on authorized footage of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, which kicked off back in 2018, and is set to continue its extended sign-off through 2023. As the (very long) title alludes, the film also tracks the years from 1970 to 1975, when John ascended to the ranks of international superstar.
In announcing the acquisition, Disney CEO Bob Chapek took precious air to tell us why Elton John is important, which, thanks, Bob:
There are no superlatives left to describe Elton John and his impact on music and culture — he’s simply unrivaled. Like a good Disney story, Elton’s music has both universal appeal and the ability to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level. He has been part of the Disney family since 1994 when he helped make The Lion King an instant classic, and we could not be more excited to collaborate with him on this new documentary.
Disney+ is carving out a niche for itself in the music documentary world; the streaming service previously pulled down strong notices for its Beatles-focused docuseries Get Back.