A new David Bowie film with unreleased footage is on the way

A new film about David Bowie is on the way, the first feature to receive official approval from the late icon’s estate. 

Taking its name from a 1971 Bowie song, Moonage Daydream is being helmed by Brett Morgen, who previously directed the acclaimed documentary Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck.

Details about the form of the film are still scarce. The film is described as a “feature-length experiential cinematic odyssey that explores Bowie’s creative, musical and spiritual journey. Told through sublime, kaleidoscopic, never-before-seen footage, performances, and music, the film is guided by Bowie’s narration.”

When the film was first discussed last November, a source hailed it as “neither documentary nor biography, but an immersive cinematic experience built, in part, upon thousands of hours of never before seen material.”

It’s now been confirmed (as per Variety) that Morgen was given “unfiltered access to Bowie’s personal archives and… unearthed hundreds of hours of never-before-seen 35mm and 16mm footage, and was able to assemble the performances from these original camera masters. Accordingly, all of the performances presented in the film will appear for the first time.”

There will of course be plenty of Bowie music included, with a reported 48 of the artist’s compositions set to appear in the film. There’s no official release date for Moonage Daydream yet, but it’s expected to premiere on HBO and HBO Max in early 2023. The film is also rumoured to be premiering at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival in May.

There has been a Bowie biopic before, although it was completely unauthorised. Released in 2020, Stardust starred Johnny Flynn as the the singer, with the film focusing on his first North American tour in 1971 and the creation of his iconic Ziggy Stardust persona. Reviews, however, were far from kind: “the whole thing feels strangely pedestrian, unable to capture or channel Bowie’s maverick spirit,” The Observer chastised.

Listen to ‘Moonage Daydream’ by David Bowie.

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