Billy Idol Should Be Dead

Play trailer

Billy Idol Should Be Dead

2025

1h 58m

Documentary

Music

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Rock icon Billy Idol bares it all in this electrifying documentary. Through never-before-seen archival and personal interviews with Idol, his family, peers and collaborators, the documentary digs deep into his emergence as a prototypical punk rocker, his meteoric rise as a global superstar in the MTC era, and the myriad of challenges Idol had to overcome to not just survive, but to remain on of the most beloved figures in rock n roll, almost fifty years into his career.

Pat Stacey

Irish Independent

3d

4/5

That [Billy Idol is] alive and well and the subject of musician/director Jonas Åkerlund’s fantastically entertaining and sometimes quietly moving two-hour documentary is a reason to be happy.

Go to Full Review

Emma Vine

Loud and Clear Reviews

Mar 2

3.5/5

Billy Idol Should Be Dead offers a detailed look at the singer’s rise to fame and why he remains an icon in the punk rock scene.

Go to Full Review

Sherin Nicole

AWFJ.org

Nov 3

From gorgeously crisp interviews—in rich black and glowing white—to lush but cheeky animated sequences that play out like fever dreams, weaving...its portrait of a man who’s danced with death too many times, yet emerged not just alive but truly living.

Go to Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

Oct 28

As a documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead is essentially a cinematic update of Billy Idol's 2014 memoir, with some added perspectives and a few new revelations. It's meaningful in some areas and shallow in other areas.

Go to Full Review

Mike McGranaghan

Aisle Seat

Oct 4

A fascinatingly full portrait of an ‘80s musical giant.

Go to Full Review

Kat Hughes

THN

Jul 7

5/5

Billy Idol Should Be Dead highlights exactly why the star’s story is worthy of the biopic treatment. Chronicling his life from teen to grandad, this comprehensive documentary is vital for Idol fans new and old.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Bill & Carmen

Mar 8

Due to weather and feeling a little bit sick my wife and I almost did not go, but we are so glad we did, GREAT show. We had seen Billy and Joan Jett last year and he is hilarious, a great entertainer, and this movie just reinforces all his legend. The animated sequences were amazing and the historical photos and film were excellent. I would buy a copy of this show today!

See more

chingoo815

Mar 5

it was great! well put together and surprisingly the animations were some of my favorite parts. me and GF absolutely loved it.

See more

Anna

Mar 5

What a great film. Loved seeing the vintage clips of the punk era. Love the new songs. What great memories I have of growing up with Billy Idols music.

See more

A. Peck

Mar 2

Well done BFI! Excellent documentary on the life of an icon! Truly showing so much vulnerability and what it was like to be a true rockstar of that era! So glad I got to see it on the big screen! Keep rocking Billy!!

See more

Linda

Mar 1

I've followed Billy's career since 1980. I absolutely love him and this documentary was well done. Although I already knew everything in the film it was nice seeing it all put together in film. I'd see it again.

See more

Kelli

Mar 1

Very well done. Interesting from beginning to end. The last 2 songs were a profound statement on where hes at in life today. I definitely recommend this rockumentary. In fact I texted a couple of my music minded friends last night when I left the theater and recommended they see it.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Jonas Akerlund

Director

Billy Idol

Self

Jonas Akerlund

Producer

Mark Monroe

Producer

Laurence Freedman

Producer

Violaine Etienne

Producer

View more photos

Synopsis

Rock icon Billy Idol bares it all in this electrifying documentary. Through never-before-seen archival and personal interviews with Idol, his family, peers and collaborators, the documentary digs deep into his emergence as a prototypical punk rocker, his meteoric rise as a global superstar in the MTC era, and the myriad of challenges Idol had to overcome to not just survive, but to remain on of the most beloved figures in rock n roll, almost fifty years into his career.

Director: Jonas Akerlund
Producer: Jonas Akerlund, Mark Monroe, Laurence Freedman, Violaine Etienne, Orian Williams, Ryan Kroft, Jessica James Batista, China Chow
Distributor: Fremantle
Production Co: Serial Pictures
Genre: Documentary, Music, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 24, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 58m