(Updated) David Bowie Documentary ‘Moonage Daydream,’ With Unreleased Concert Footage, Coming From Neon and HBO

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Neon has landed the rights to release “Moonage Daydream,” a new feature film, concert documentary and “experiential cinematic odyssey” that follows David Bowie’s life and musical career and is the first sanctioned by Bowie’s estate.

Brett Morgen is directing the film that is near completion and will feature Bowie’s own narration. Neon will release “Moonage Daydream” domestically, while Universal Pictures Content Group will release the film internationally, and HBO Documentary Films has North American rights for streaming and cable in spring 2023.

The film was designed from conception as a unique cinematic experience and will also be released in IMAX in select markets. The film will also be released in partnership with Public Road Productions, *BMG, Live Nation Productions, and HBO Documentary Films.

“Moonage Daydream” illuminates the life and genius of David Bowie with a project that shows how Bowie himself worked across several disciplines, not just music and film but also dance, painting, sculpture, video and audio collage, screenwriting, acting, and live theatre. The film reveals the celebrated icon through his own voice and features 48 musical tracks, mixed from their original stems.

Morgen was granted access to Bowie’s archives by his estate in 2017 and presented him with master recordings as well as never-before-seen 35mm and 16mm reels of never-before-seen performances, all of which will appear on screen for the first time. In addition, all music in the film has been remixed from the original stems into Dolby Atmos, 12.0, 5.0, and 7.1/5.1.

“Moonage Daydream” is written, directed, edited, and produced by Morgen. The film’s executive producers are Hartwig Masuch, Kathy Rivkin-Daum and Justus Haerder for BMG; Michael Rapino, Heather Parry, and Ryan Kroft for Live Nation Productions; Bill Zysblat, Tom Cyrana, Aisha Cohen, and Eileen D’Arcy from RZO; Billy Gerber, and Debra Eisenstadt. BMG and Live Nation Productions financed the film.

Bowie’s long-time collaborator, friend and music producer Tony Visconti also worked on the film alongside sound mixer Paul Massey and David Giammarco, sound design team of John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone and VFX Producer Stefan Nadelman, who worked with Morgen on his film “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck.”

The title “Moonage Daydream” references David Bowie’s eponymous song from the influential 1972 album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” which introduced the world to his iconic, gender-bending, and groundbreaking stage persona, Ziggy Stardust.

NEON’s Jeff Deutchman negotiated the North America deal with Kevin Koloff, as well as Karen Gottlieb of Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, P.C. Submarine and WME handled sales for “Moonage Daydream”.

*The film, including its title track, draws extensively on Bowie’s 1970 to 1977 song catalogue in which BMG has a 25% stake including ‘Changes’, ‘Starman’, ‘Ziggy Stardust’, ‘The Jean Genie’, ‘All The Young Dudes’, ‘Life On Mars? ‘Rebel Rebel’, ‘Fame’, ‘Young Americans’ and ‘Golden Years’. BMG’s relationship with the Bowie catalogue is unaffected by Warner Music’s recent acquisition of the Bowie song catalogue.

Commenting on the film project, BMG EVP Global Repertoire Fred Casimir says: “This has been a five year labour of love to honour one of the greatest song catalogues in music history. BMG is proud to build on our long-term relationship with the David Bowie estate working hand-in-hand with our partners Live Nation Productions to bring Brett Morgen’s vision to the big screen”.

The film featuring never-before-seen footage and Bowie’s own narration was previewed at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Moonage Daydream premieres at Cannes Film Festival on May 23rd, before hitting theatres in September.

**Moonage Daydream to open Sheffield DocFest in June!**

Sheffield DocFest are delighted to announce that Brett Morgen’s Moonage Daydream will open this year’s Festival on 23 June 2022. Written, directed, edited and produced by Morgen (The Kid Stays in the Picture, Cobain: Montage of Heck, Jane) the film presents a genre-defying immersion into the art and sounds of David Bowie.

Our Opening Night will be the ‘People’s Premiere’ taking place at City Hall – 50 years since David Bowie first played the historic Sheffield music venue in June 1972.

It will be the first public screening of the film following its bow in the Midnight Screenings’ section of the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Universal Pictures Content Group will release the film internationally.

Considered one of the greatest artists of our time, David Bowie has been moving culture for over 50 years. Moonage Daydream is the first film to be supported by the David Bowie Estate, which granted Morgen unprecedented access to their collection.

Told through sublime, kaleidoscopic imagery, personal archived footage, unseen performances, and anchored by David Bowie’s own music and words, Moonage Daydream invites audiences to immerse themselves in the unique world that is “Bowie”.

Throughout his career, across generations, Bowie taught us that our differences were our strengths. With Moonage Daydream, Bowie provides us with a roadmap of how to survive the 21st century, inviting audiences to celebrate his legacy and enduring influence like never before.

Clare Stewart, Interim CEO says: “Brett Morgen’s glorious cinematic odyssey is an intoxicating match for Bowie’s artistry, Moonage Daydream feels like an extension of Bowie’s imagination – dazzling, slippery and iconic. It’s a documentary that will thrill Bowie fans and film-lovers alike and we are delighted to welcome Brett back to open Sheffield DocFest at the legendary City Hall where Bowie played 50 years ago this June.”

In 2017, the estate presented Morgen with over 5 million assets. Included in the collection were rare and never-before seen drawings, recordings, films, and journals. Morgen spent four years assembling the film and another 18 months designing the soundscape, animations, and colour palette.

Brett Morgen says “I am overjoyed that Moonage Daydream has been invited to be the opening night movie for this year’s Sheffield DocFest. Moonage Daydream invites audiences to come together to participate in a shared experience, to share in the wonder of Bowie. The opportunity to unspool the film at the historic 2000 seat City Hall, where Ziggy performed 50 years ago is in many ways, the fulfilment of that dream. Clare Stewart and the extraordinary team of programmers have expressed such heartfelt support for the film, I’m thrilled we were making this a reality. What a wonderful opportunity to bring Bowie fans and documentary supporters together.”

For the film, the sound team – featuring Bowie’s long-time collaborator, friend and music producer Tony Visconti and Academy Award®-winning sound mixer Paul Massey (Bohemian Rhapsody) – remixed and translated Bowie’s original stems for a theatrical environment.

Brett Morgen – who returns to Sheffield DocFest in person for the first time since Cobain: Montage of Heck screened at the festival in 2015 – will participate in other public events during the Festival, to be announced.

The Festival will run from 23 – 28 June 2022. For full access to all festival activity here in Sheffield including film screenings, exhibitions, talks and panels, parties and more, click here to buy an Industry Festival Pass.

Be the envy of documentary fans everywhere and become a DocLover at this year’s Sheffield DocFest. From only £30, you can see the best of the fest, for less. Click here to find out more.