Don’t Look Back In Anger, Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern’s film about the 2025 Oasis reunion tour, had to be a documentary to convey the unpredictable nature of the UK rock band, according to the film’s creators.
“As opposed to writing fiction where you’re in control of the structure, of the three acts, here you’re dependent on reality, and real people and their relationships,” said Steven Knight, creator and writer of the project. “We didn’t really know how this was going to go. We’re filming what happened.” Asked why the film is a documentary instead of fiction, Knight said, “I think this is better than any fiction.”
“Plus no one could play Liam Gallagher,” quipped Southern.
“The first time that Liam [Gallagher] walks into the rehearsal, the first time they’re going to perform together for however many years, they haven’t spoken to each other,” said Knight. ”They’re British working-class men so they’re not going to high-five or hug or cry.” Knight then recalled how Liam Gallagher went straight into the rehearsal with little preparation time, which provided the basis for the film.
He was speaking at the press conference for the Venice out of competition title. Noel and Liam Gallagher are present in Venice for the film’s world premiere this evening, but did not attend the conference.
Asked by Screen why the rock star brothers were absent from the conference, co-director Lovelace said “They were here a second ago having their photograph taken, so they are here,” but did not address why they skipped the conference.
Reconciliation
The Gallagher brothers have had a fractious relationship, and reportedly did not speak for 15 years while the band was on hiatus from 2009 to 2024. Oasis reunited in 2024, for a run of sold-out shows last year with more planned for the coming months. “I’m not sure if the filmmaking affected their relationship, but we certainly captured their relationship coming back together,” Lovelace said to Screen.
“The whole world was interested in that 15 years apart, and would it work, and what was it going to be like. It was a privilege to be able to see that relationship get closer together, both in rehearsals but also throughout the tour. Starting in Cardiff and across the tour, you saw that reconciliation happen on stage in front of the world.”
“Our process was deliberately designed not to influence what was happening,” said Southern. “When it came to rehearsals, our aim was to be completely invisible to the band. I don’t think for six weeks they saw us or a single member of our crew, even though they were hiding away somewhere. We put the cameras into the rehearsal space and left them to film what happens.
“It became as much about what was happening in the crowd and how that influenced the brothers’ relationship,” continued Southern. “We didn’t want it to be the film that influenced the relationship. We wanted to document the very genuine thing that was happening, and it was the love and excitement coming from the crowd that was integral in them coming back together.”
“This is about people finding common ground, reconciling,” said Knight. “We found quite often when people watch it, it’s an emotional experience. Probably everyone in this room has someone they’re estranged from; so if people are watching this and thinking ‘maybe I should text or phone that person’, that’s what it’s about.”
Knight is currently writing the next James Bond film for Amazon MGM Studios, but remained tight-lipped on the process. “I can’t say anything about it, other than I’m enjoying every second of it, it’s fantastic,” said the filmmaker.
Don’t Look Back In Anger is produced by Sony Music Vision. It will be released by Disney in select Imax cinemas on September 9, before streaming on Disney+ later in the year internationally, and on Hulu and Disney+ in the US.
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