The Sex Pistols Biopic is coming, alongside a new 20-track compilation album
The release comes in light of Johnny Rotten’s recent failed lawsuit against the Danny Boyle-directed series.
Image: Getty
After close to a year of anticipation, the Disney+ and Hulu series Pistol finally has its release date. Inspired by guitarist Steve Jones’ 2017 memoir, Lonely Boy: Tales From A Sex Pistol, the future of the series was thrown into question in 2021 when the punk frontman refused to grant permission for the series to use the band’s tracks.
- READ MORE: The Rolling Stones’ Legendary 1977 Secret Shows At the El Mocambo To See First-Ever Official Release
The six-episode series will be hitting screens in full on 31 May – coming to the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Canada via Disney+ and arriving in the US on Hulu.
Directed by Danny Boyle, known most for his work on Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, the series faced controversy last year after vocalist John Lydon refused permission for Pistol to use the punk band’s music. Describing the series as being “disrespectful” and with his lawyer accusing the creators of showing the frontman “in a hostile and unflattering light”, the dispute went to court before Lydon’s claims were dismissed in August.
Described in the synopsis as a “hilarious, emotional and at times heartbreaking journey [which] guides us through a kaleidoscopic telling of three of the most epic, chaotic and mucus-spattered years in the history of music”, Pistol is already highly anticipated by fans who seek a closer glimpse into the iconic era of punk rock.
In a Twitter thread shared by FX Networks, Danny Boyle spoke about the legacy that continues to surround the band, explaining why they continue to galvanise such intrigue.
“The Pistols were the fountainhead that changed [society.] They gave a sense of timelessness. Nothing ever seemed to be the same again,” he stated. “What was different about [the Sex Pistols] is that they said you can do whatever the f you want with it. That is proper counterculture. They gave a sense of timelessness.”
Pistol stars Toby Wallace as Steve Jones, Anson Boon as John Lydon, Jacob Slater as Paul Cook, Christian Lees as Glen Matlock and Louis Partridge as Sid Vicious.
Following the highly-awaited announcement of the show’s premiere date, the band have also recently shared that they will be releasing a new 20-track compilation album that celebrates their music from the period 1976 to 1978.
Entitled The Sex Pistols: The Original Recordings, the release is comprised of the band’s classic tracks, including God Save The Queen, Anarchy In The UK, as well as covers and more fundamental tracks from Never Mind The Bollocks. The compilation is due out on 27 May, shortly before the arrival of the much-anticipated series.
Still openly opposed to the upcoming releases, Lydon maintains his stance against Pistol.
“There’s nothing really to argue about” he stated when talking to Yahoo! “If they want to trash the legend of the Sex Pistols, it seems that that’s exactly what they’re going to go and do.”
The Sex Pistols: The Original Recordings is due to be released on 27 May via UMC and will be available on vinyl, CD, digital and cassette.
Pistol will debut on Hulu and Disney+ on 31 May. It is also listed as “coming soon” to Star+ in Latin America.
The full tracklist for The Sex Pistols: The Original Recordings is:
1. Pretty Vacant
2. God Save The Queen
3. Bodies
4. No Feelings
5. I Wanna Be Me
6. Anarchy In The UK
7. Submission
8. No Fun
9. (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone
10. Holidays In The Sun
11. New York
12. Problems
13. Lonely Boy
14. Silly Thing
15. Something Else
16. C’Mon Everybody
17. Satellite
18. Did You No Wrong
19. Substitute
20. My Way