Becoming Led Zeppelin

''Becoming Led Zeppelin'' is a 2025 documentary film directed by Bernard MacMahon which charts the formation and early years of Led Zeppelin. The film is an independent production made with the full co-operation of the band – the first time they have participated in a biographical documentary. A work-in-progress was screened at the 78th Venice Film Festival in 2021 to a 10-minute standing ovation.

The film premiered in several countries on February 7, 2025.

Plot

''Becoming Led Zeppelin'' traces the journeys of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant through their childhoods in post-war Britain, the music scene of the 1960s including Shirley Bassey performing the '' Goldfinger'' theme with Zeppelin members playing on it, their meeting in the summer of 1968 and meteoric ascendancy throughout 1969, culminating in 1970 when they become the No. 1 band in the world.

The story is told by the band members with the late Bonham represented by archival audio interviews. The film features full, never-before-seen footage of the band's early American and British concerts and unseen material from the band's personal archives.

Background

''Becoming Led Zeppelin'' was researched and written by Bernard MacMahon with screenwriter and producer Allison McGourty, the two having worked together on '' American Epic''—a series investigating American music styles. Bandleader Jimmy Page and frontman Robert Plant were already fans of the series. Page told the filmmakers that he had turned down a lot of "pretty miserable" pitches over the years to make a documentary about Led Zeppelin. But from MacMahon and McGourty he received a deeply researched proposal focusing almost exclusively on the music and chronicling the band's birth in 1968 and its early rise. The film was developed on a storyboard and presented to the band members in a leather-bound book. Page commented, "When we first met, we were probably a little nervous of each other. But the conduit was the storyboard", adding "And I thought they've really got it, they really understand what it was about".

The film includes digitized audio from tapes held at The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) in Canberra from the Sydney radio station 2SM, including an audio interview with Sydney broadcaster Graeme Berry and John Bonham, who rarely gave interviews.

John Paul Jones gave his blessing, saying "the time was right for us to tell our own story for the first time in our own words" and that the time was right for the film to be made. Plant cited ''American Epic'' as a reason for agreeing to participate in the film, "Seeing Will Shade, and so many other important early American musicians, brought to life on the big screen in ''American Epic'' inspired me to contribute to a very interesting and exciting story".

The film was announced in 2019, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the release of the band's first album.

Release

In May 2024, Sony Pictures Classics acquired distribution rights to the film in North and Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia (excluding Japan), and the Benelux. In June 2024, it was announced that Tohokushinsha Film had acquired the rights for Japan, Madman Entertainment for Australia and New Zealand, NonStop for Scandinavia and the Baltics, Cinemart for Czechia and Slovakia, and MCF for formerly Yugoslavian areas. On December 5, 2024, a teaser trailer was released, and it was announced the film would premiere in IMAX in the United States and Canada on February 7, 2025. In the UK Sony Pictures announced an exclusive IMAX release for February 5, 2025 with a general UK cinema release commencing February 7, 2025. The film would then have a wider release in the United States on February 14, 2025.

Reception

''Variety'' noted that the work-in-progress screening at the Venice Film Festival "premiered to bursts of rapturous applause across its 137-minute runtime". ''Rolling Stone'' described the rough cut of the film as "revelatory", and ''The Hollywood Reporter'' described it as "an eye-opening delight", adding that sections of the rough cut "could be cut without damaging the film". Steve Pond of ''The Wrap'' described the rough cut as "potent as hell and as excessive as ''Physical Graffiti'', the 1975 album whose excess was pretty much inseparable from its power".

Most of the negative review comments focused on the new interviews, which were described as shallow, "boring," and lacking interaction between the surviving members.

Box office

As of May 22, 2025, ''Becoming Led Zeppelin'' has grossed $13.2 million worldwide, including $10.4 million in the United States.

See also

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References

External links

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2025 films
2025 documentary films
American musical documentary films
British musical documentary films
Big Beach (company) films
Documentary films about musical groups
Documentary films about rock music and musicians
Films directed by Bernard MacMahon (filmmaker)
Led Zeppelin
Sony Pictures Classics films
IMAX films