The new biopic about punk rock legend Billy Idol has sold to international broadcasters worldwide.
Broadacsters include Sky (UK), VRT (Belgium), Yle (Finland), SVT (Sweden), NRK (Norway), COSMOTE TV (Greece), AMC Global Media (Spain & Portugal), SBS (Australia), RTV (Slovenia), as well as securing Japanese theatrical rights via Malibu Corporation (Japan).
The feature length documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, is a visceral, all-access portrait of one of rock music’s most provocative and enduring icons. The definitive story of a career fuelled by danger, defiance and constant reinvention, it features unprecedented access to Billy Idol, his bandmates, family and fellow music artists, such as Miley Cyrus, Nile Rodgers, Guns N’ Roses musician Duff McKagen, The Who’s Pete Townshend and Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong.
Billy Idol said: “It’s pretty amazing to see this documentary making its way around the world. From London to Tokyo and in between, audiences have been brilliant. I’m just hoping they have as much fun watching the film as I had living it.”
Kyle Harris, Vice President of Acquisitions at Fremantle, said: “It's fantastic to see such strong international appetite for this film, and we believe its raw honesty, emotional depth and electrifying energy will resonate widely. It’s a testament to an artist who continues to defy expectations - a film made possible by the remarkable access and Billy’s willingness to share his story with such openness.”
The announcement follows recent news that Billy Idol will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026. In February this year, Idol attended Fremantle Presents at London Screenings to introduce the feature film. In March, the documentary premiered on Sky Arts in the UK, ranking as the #1 show of the day. In the same month it premiered on Hulu in the US, reaching #3 show a day after its release and sitting within the Top 10 titles that week.
Directed by multi-Grammy Award-winner Jonas Åkerlund, the film blends unseen archival footage with raw, revealing interviews to chart Idol’s explosive journey from London’s anarchic punk underground to global MTV superstardom. Along the way, it confronts the chaos behind the image: excess, addiction, near-fatal accidents and the moments when Idol came terrifyingly close to losing everything: even including his life.
More than a rock biography, this is an unflinching exploration of survival and creative rebirth. Åkerlund’s kinetic, cinematic style captures both the myth and the man, revealing how Idol repeatedly pulled himself back from the edge to reclaim his voice, relevance and place in music history. Bold, emotional and electrifying, Billy Idol Should Be Dead is the story of an artist who refuses to die quietly.
Billy Idol Should Be Dead is produced by Live Nation Studios. Michael Rapino and J. Ralph are the executive producers. Fremantle handles international sales (outside the U.S).
