Billy Idol’s documentary has a bracing title: “Billy Idol Should Be Dead.”
The new song that closes the nearly two-hour retrospective of a rock star who survived excessive drug use and a horrific motorcycle accident carries an equally striking title: “Dying to Live.”
The specter of death followed Idol during the dawning of his punk rock days in Generation X through his massive ‘80s breakthrough with hits such as “Rebel Yell,” “White Wedding” and “Dancing with Myself” fueled by MTV and a photogenic sneer.
But Idol is more reflective in his current role as a grandfather who still sports an impressively spiky coif and can fist pump his way through a visceral rock performance.
His documentary has played the film circuit throughout the year and is expected to be released in early 2026. The film examines his wayward days as a young music star enjoying the spoils of celebrity through vintage footage and recent interviews. Throughout, clever animation is used to explore areas of Idol’s life not caught on camera, but there are also personal artifacts, such as gruesome hospital photos following Idol’s 1990 accident, anchoring “Billy Idol Should Be Dead.”
