John Lennon's relationship with Yoko Ono will be the subject of a new documentary film.

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The Beatles: NEW John Lennon Yoko Ono relationship documentary film announced (EXCLUSIVE)
THE BEATLES star John Lennon's relationship with Yoko Ono will be the subject of a new documentary film.
By GEORGE SIMPSON
Wed Mar 4 2020



The iconic marriage between The Beatles’ John Lennon and Yoko Ono is set to become the subject of a new documentary film. Dudeski, the production company behind the upcoming Rolling Stone: Life and Death of Brian Jones, will be behind the project. As are the movie’s director Danny Garcia and producer Nick Reynolds.



Speaking exclusively with Express.co.uk, Reynolds said the film is called The Ballad of John and Yoko and “will focus on the events that took place during the first years of their relationship.

“It’ll explore how they were hounded by the media, targeted by the FBI and how Yoko was unfairly misrepresented and accused of being responsible for the break-up of The Beatles.”



Lennon and Ono were married in 1969, a year before The Beatles broke up after the release of their final studio album Let It Be.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four’s break up and Peter Jackson is working on a “myth-busting” documentary film himself, with tons of restored and unseen footage from their Let It Be recordings.



The Beatles: NEW John Lennon Yoko Ono relationship documentary film announced (EXCLUSIVE) (Image: GETTY)

The Ballard of John and Yoko will focus on the couple's early years as a couple (Image: GETTY

Jackson had access to around 55 hours of material from January 1969 and now a few minutes has screened at the Universal Music showcase at Grammy Weekend.

Apple Records chief Jeff Jones spoke of how the original Let It Be documentary that tied-in with the album was considered to be a “depressing look” at the end of The Beatles.

But having hired Jackson to make a new movie, the executive said: “We have created a brand-new film that will attempt to bust the myth that the ‘Let It Be’ sessions were the final nail in the Beatles’ coffin.”

The lucky few in the audience were then treated to several minutes of the upcoming documentary film, with Variety saying that Beatles fans will “lose their minds over this film”.


Brian Jones was friends with John Lennon and Yoko Ono (Image: GETTY)






The filmmakers behind The Ballad of John and Yoko also have Lennon feature in their upcoming Brian Jones documentary.

The late Rolling Stones founder who died in 1969 at the age of just 27, was very friendly with fellow stars of the time from Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan to Lennon himself.

Speaking with producer Reynolds about Rolling Stone: Life and Death of Brian Jones, Reynolds spoke of their relationship.

He said: “While The Rolling Stones were hanging out in London Chelsea clubs, Brian was hanging out with Andy Warhol, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon.”


Reynolds continued: “They had a mutual respect for each other. Brian played saxophone on one of The Beatles tracks.”

Once during an informal recording session after completing Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Paul McCartney invited Jones over.

But to The Beatles’ surprise, The Rolling Stones member brought his alto sax with him.

The result was Jones playing on their track You Know My Name, which went out as the B side on Let It Be.


Reynolds added: “The Beatles respected him as the engine, the Mr Interesting. He was like the Brian Wilson of The Rolling Stones.”

However, when Jones suddenly died in 1969, Lennon was particularly affected by his passing.

Reynolds admitted: “[John] was disgusted and really, really pissed off that Brian had died the way that he did, thinking it was a terrible waste.”

Rolling Stone: Life and Death of Brian Jones’ UK release date is TBC as is the newly announced The Ballard of John and Yoko.