Apple Buys Rights to 'The Velvet Underground' Documentary

Apple today announced that it has purchased the worldwide distribution rights to "The Velvet Underground," a documentary from Todd Haynes.

velvetundergroundappletv
Haynes' documentary follows 1960's band "The Velvet Underground," which was headlined by Lou Reed and once managed by artist Andy Warhol. "The Velvet Underground" was known as the "house band" at the Factory, which was Warhol's studio that served as a hangout for artists and a venue for legendary parties.

"The Velvet Underground" will feature never before seen performances and recordings, Warhol films, experimental art, and in-depth interviews with key players of that time.

The Velvet Underground created a new sound that changed the world of music, cementing its place as one of rock 'n' roll's most revered bands. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes, "The Velvet Underground" shows just how the group became a cultural touchstone representing a range of contradictions: the band is both of their time, yet timeless; literary yet realistic; rooted in high art and street culture.

There's no known release date for "The Velvet Underground" at this time, but it joins several other documentaries that Apple has picked up such as Werner Herzog's "Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds," "Boys State," "Beastie Boys Story," "Dads," and "The Elephant Queen."

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...

Top Rated Comments

SuperCachetes Avatar
64 months ago

yawn, apple tv + excusive for a limited audience. many apple tv owners most likely never heard of velvet underground or even care about this
The Velvet Underground's first album only sold 30,000 copies during its first five years but “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.” -Brian Eno

There is plenty of content based on things someone somewhere never heard of. The simple truth is that this band was incredibly influential on the rock music of the 20th century, and beyond. It doesn’t matter if you or I like them subjectively, or if we are even familiar with them.

I look forward to being entertained and educated by this.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LoadStar Avatar
64 months ago

This ought to be interesting.

Is there a reason that the artwork is reversed?
Looks like a plate that they'd use to do offset printing of a poster. (It's not just reversed, it's a negative as well.) Maybe the idea is to reflect the "behind the scenes" nature of the documentary?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
64 months ago
Looking forward to this!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zen_Arcade Avatar
64 months ago
One of the two most influential rock bands.

I hope the documentary is awesome!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
folp02 Avatar
64 months ago
The Velvet Underground are definitely not for everyone, but they are one of the greatest bands ever. Can't wait to see this!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThunderSkunk Avatar
64 months ago

Looking forward to this!
This could easily be a 12 hour epic.
and I’d savor all 12 hours.

...and somewhere near a still telephone, Roger Waters and Jimmy Page are squirming with anticipation.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)