BILLY IDOL SHOULD BE DEAD is an intimate, unflinching look at the life and career of Billy Idol, tracing the punk icon’s journey from his early days with Generation X through his rise as a global solo star, while exploring the triumphs, excesses, near-death experiences, and remarkable survival story behind one of rock & roll’s most recognizable and enduring figures.
Directed by Jonas Ã…kerlund (Lords of Chaos, Spun), the documentary features interviews with Idol alongside friends, collaborators and fellow artists including Steve Stevens, Miley Cyrus, Billie Joe Armstrong, Duff McKagan, Steve Jones, Pete Townshend, Nile Rodgers, Patrick Stump, and Perri Lister, among others. The film is the subject of extensive critical acclaim from The New York Times, CBS’s “This Morning,” NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” the Los Angeles Times, and many more.
The physical media release arrives at an especially active moment in Idol’s career. In addition to his 2026 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Billy Idol’s first full-length album of new music in over a decade, “Dream Into It,” is currently available from Dark Horse Records. The album reached #7 on the U.S. Top Albums Chart and #4 on the U.S. Current Rock Album Chart, #9 on the U.K. Official Album Sales Chart, and #2 on the German Top 100 Album Chart. Idol is currently on his “It’s A Nice Day To…Tour Again!” tour, which has sold out arenas across the U.S. and continues through the fall.
BILLY IDOL SHOULD BE DEAD made its festival debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in summer 2025, followed by an award-qualifying run in fall 2025 and a limited U.S. theatrical release in the first quarter of 2026. U.S. theatrical rights to the film were handled by Evan Saxon Productions.
The deal for the physical media release was negotiated on behalf of Live Nation Studios and Giant Pictures by Bill Sondheim, President and CEO of Greenfield Media, LLC, and by Director of Acquisitions Eric D. Wilkinson on behalf of MVD Entertainment Group.
MVD Director of Acquisitions Eric D. Wilkinson is excited to bring the film to Blu-ray and DVD. “Billy Idol is one of those rare artists whose music, image and attitude have remained instantly recognizable across generations, and Jonas Ã…kerlund has made a film that goes far beyond the iconography to tell the story of the person behind it. With Billy receiving his long-overdue induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, the timing couldn’t be better to give fans the opportunity to own this documentary on physical media.”
MVD Entertainment Group has scheduled BILLY IDOL SHOULD BE DEAD for release on Blu-ray and DVD on November 3, 2026. The Blu-ray (MVD21395BR / UPC 760137213956) carries a suggested retail price of $29.95, while the DVD (MVD21392D / UPC 760137213925) carries a suggested retail price of $19.95.
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