Led Zeppelin is one of the biggest rock bands in the history of the genre. Their fans range in age from those who discovered them shortly after they formed more than 50 years ago to youngsters who are just discovering them today. As a result, the groundbreaking documentary film Becoming Led Zeppelin drew a record-breaking audience with its IMAX-exclusive release.
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While many bands are happy to share their stories with the world, Led Zeppelin has kept details private for more than five decades. As a result, the documentary was the first time fans could get an honest look at the band’s formation, learn about their first jam sessions, and see them launch their first two tours and albums. This led thousands of fans to pack their local theaters for showings of Becoming Led Zeppelin.
According to Blabbermouth, the documentary went to IMAX theaters across 16 countries and territories last Friday (February 7). It brought in $3 million in total. The film opened on 369 screens across North America and brought in $2.6 million domestically, giving it the biggest opening weekend for an IMAX-exclusive release.
It is safe to assume that the documentary will pull even more eyes and money when it gets a wide release this Friday (February 14). It will come to 1,000 screens, opening up more seats for fans to catch it for the first time or to come back for a second (or third) viewing.
The Major Test Filmmakers Had to Pass Before Making Becoming Led Zeppelin
Filmmakers Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty knew they had to have their ducks in a row before they pitched the documentary to the band. Even then, they knew that the surviving members of Led Zeppelin could tell them they weren’t interested in the film and the project would be dead in the water. So, they took a gamble by preparing, outlining, and funding the film before approaching John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, and Jimmy Page.
Jones and Plant were reportedly easy to win over. Page, on the other hand, wanted to test the filmmakers. In an interview with The Guardian, MacMahon recalled that he med Page in a London hotel. The rock icon arrived with a grocery bag full of old journals but wasn’t ready to move forward.
First, he asked what band he was playing in when he met Plant. MacMahon answered, “Hobbstweedle,” and passed Page’s first test. A few days later, Page invited the filmmaker to his boathouse in Pangbourne. Of course, MacMahon accepted the invitation. That’s fortunate because if he had declined, Page would have pulled his support from the film.
Featured Image by Jay Dickman/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
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