A new feature-length documentary about rock icon Billy Idol will premiere on Hulu on March 26, offering an in-depth look at the punk pioneer’s life, career and enduring influence on rock music.
Titled Billy Idol Should Be Dead, the film is directed by three-time Grammy winner Jonas Åkerlund and produced by Live Nation Studios. The documentary arrives on streaming following a wide theatrical release and its premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles last month.
The film also debuted at the Tribeca Festival last summer before an awards-qualifying theatrical run.
The documentary chronicles Idol’s journey from his early days in the British punk scene as the frontman of Generation Xto his rise as a global rock star during the MTV era. Through archival footage and new interviews with Idol, family members and collaborators, the film explores the challenges and excesses that shaped the singer’s career and the resilience that helped him remain a major figure in rock music nearly five decades after his debut.
In conjunction with the upcoming streaming release, Idol has shared a new clip from the film discussing the creation of his signature sound after working with producers Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey.
The documentary features Idol’s original song “Dying To Live,” co-written with Academy Award–nominated songwriter J. Ralph. The track was shortlisted for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards and was also nominated for Best Song – Documentary Film at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. The film itself received a nomination for Best Music Documentary–Special Program at the same awards.
The release comes as Idol is also nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026, with fan voting currently underway.
In addition to the documentary, Idol recently released Dream Into It, his first full-length album of new music in more than a decade. The album features longtime collaborator Steve Stevens and guest appearances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart of The Kills.
Over a career spanning nearly 50 years, Idol has remained one of the most recognizable figures in rock, known for hits including “Dancing With Myself,” “White Wedding,” “Rebel Yell,” “Eyes Without a Face” and “Cradle of Love.” The new documentary offers what producers describe as a definitive portrait of the artist’s life and legacy.
