Apple to Debut Beastie Boys, Spike Jonze Live Documentary at SXSW

Apple has officially acquired the rights to a Spike Jonze-directed documentary about the Beastie Boys, according to a new report by Deadline.

The film, “Beastie Boys Story,” is described as a live documentary experience focusing on the history and legacy of the iconic rap trio, specifically told as an “intimate, personal story” by Beastie Boy founding members Mike Diamond (Mike D) and Adam Horowitz (Ad-Rock).

In addition to talking about their 40-year-long friendship, the two Beastie Boys will also pay tribute to the third founding member of the rap trio, Adam Yauch (MCA), who died of cancer in 2012.

The documentary actually grew out of a previous collaboration between Diamond and Horowitz on the Beastie Boys Book, which was published back in October 2018. Its release also comes just ahead of the 26th anniversary of Ill Communication, the trio’s fourth album.

Jonze has actually been a frequent collaborator with the Beastie Boys, especially during their heyday in the 1990s. He directed the original music video for the hit 1994 song “Sabotage,” for example.

“I owe Beastie Boys a lot. One time, they pulled me out of a burning ship, and another time they helped me cheat on my college exam to get into Florida State,” Jonze said in a statement “So, it was a real privilege to get to reunite with them and help them tell their story.”

Apple announced today that “Beastie Boys Story” will be among a select few Apple TV+ projects to debut at the SXSW Film Festival, which kicks off on March 13. The other two debuts include episodes of animated series Central Park and docuseries Home.

The terms of the deal also specify that a special cut of the film will open in select IMAX theaters for a limited run on April 3.

Apple’s acquisition of the documentary means that it’ll eventually land on Apple TV+, of course. It’ll debut on that platform globally on April 24, specifically.

While originally slated as a platform for Apple original TV series, the Cupertino tech giant has a few other movies in the works — including Sofia Coppola’s “On the Rocks.” Currently, Apple TV+ also includes films such as Hala and The Elephant Queen.