LOS ANGELES — Netflix has officially launched its highly anticipated comprehensive documentary, U2 TOTAL, offering an unprecedented deep dive into the fifty-year odyssey of the world’s most enduring rock band. The release marks a major cultural milestone for 2026, arriving just as the band prepares for a rumored new studio album and a subsequent world tour.

A Half-Century in the Making

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Dominik who previously helmed the award-winning Bono: Stories of Surrender  this new feature-length documentary expands the lens beyond individual memoirs. While previous films like From the Sky Down (2011) focused on specific creative eras, U2 TOTAL serves as the definitive chronological record of the band’s evolution from the “Lypton Village” days in Dublin to their record-breaking residency at the Las Vegas Sphere.

The documentary features:

  • Never-before-seen archival footage from the band’s personal vaults, including raw 8mm film from their 1980s tours.

  • Intimate “Kitchen Table” interviews where Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. sit together to recount their most turbulent and triumphant moments.

  • Isolated studio sessions from the Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree eras, deconstructing the “U2 sound” through modern spatial audio.

More Than Just Music

A significant portion of the film is dedicated to the band’s role at the intersection of music and global politics. The documentary provides a raw, updated look at their humanitarian efforts, including new perspectives on their legendary Sarajevo concert and their decades-long fight against poverty and disease.

“We didn’t just want to tell the story of four guys in a band,” director Andrew Dominik noted during the Madrid premiere. “We wanted to explore how four Irish teenagers became a global institution that refused to break up, even when the laws of physics and rock-and-roll ego suggested they should.”

The Return of Larry Mullen Jr.

Fans are particularly moved by the segments featuring drummer Larry Mullen Jr., whose recent recovery from multiple surgeries is documented with startling honesty. The film captures the moment the band reunited in the studio in late 2024 to begin work on their upcoming 2026 album, a scene that many early reviewers are calling the emotional heart of the documentary.

How to Watch

U2 TOTAL is now streaming globally on Netflix. To provide the most immersive experience possible, the platform has enabled a “High-Fidelity Audio” mode for the documentary, optimized for home theater systems to mimic the acoustics of the band’s live performances.

With its 50th anniversary approaching, U2 TOTAL is more than a retrospective; it is a testament to a “mission” that transcends melody. As the credits roll, the film subtly teases the band’s next chapter, leaving no doubt that while the documentary is “total,” the U2 story is far from over.

Would you like me to find the specific tracklist of the rare live performances featured in the documentary?

U2 Rockumentary Trailer This video provides a look at the band’s historical rise and musical mission, which serves as the foundational context for the “U2 TOTAL” documentary.