The Beatles ‘Anthology’ Gets Remastered, with Disney+ Series

Photo Credit: Apple Corps

The Beatles’ 30-year-old eight-part Anthology series returns for a global release campaign, with an expanded series on Disney+ launching in November.

First released three decades ago, The Beatles’ eight-part Anthology series reinvented the music documentary. Instead of a standard treatment centered on talking heads and an outside narrator, the series featured John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr candidly telling their own story. Now, the series returns better than ever for a comprehensive global release campaign—on screen, on record, and in print.

The Beatles’ Anthology documentary series has been restored and remastered, with the eight original episodes tracing the legendary journey that began in Liverpool and Hamburg and soon captivated the world. The series brings to life the stories of Beatlemania, the band’s groundbreaking arrival in the U.S., their role at the forefront of the 1960s counterculture, and their eventual breakup.

Now, there is a completely new ninth episode, including unseen behind-the-scenes footage of Paul, George, and Ringo coming together between 1994 and 1995 to work on The Anthology, and reflecting on their shared life as The Beatles.

The restoration has been overseen by Apple Corps’ production team, working with Peter Jackson’s Wingnut Films and Park Road Post teams along with Giles Martin, who has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music.

The musical side of The Anthology, originally curated by George Martin and now remastered by Giles Martin, in the form of three double albums, releases on November 21. The restored and expanded four volumes offer enthralling insight into the early development of songs that became the hits that resonate with fans today, just as they did when they were first released.

It also has an important new element. Newly curated by Giles, Anthology 4 features 13 previously unreleased demos and session recordings, as well as other rare recordings. It also includes new mixes of the Beatles’ “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love,” given new life by their original producer, Jeff Lynne, using de-mixed John Lennon vocals.

Finally, the 25th Anniversary Edition of The Beatles Anthology book will be released on October 14 by Apple Corps Ltd. and Chronicle Books. Throughout its pages, John, Paul, George, and Ringo share their honest, intimate, and revelatory recollections of the band’s journey.

Their memories are accompanied by impressions from their closest colleagues, including Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Derek Taylor, and more. The 368-page book is beautifully illustrated with over 1,300 photos, documents, artwork, and other memorabilia from the band’s archives. The Beatles Anthology book is available for pre-order now.