A New “The Blue Brothers” Docuseries Currently In The Works

The history of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s creation, The Blues Brothers, is the subject of a new docuseries. The series – which finds Aykroyd, Belushi’s widow Judith Belushi-Pisano, and her son Lucas Pisano collaborating with Utopia Originals – will tell the story of the band from its inception, its debut on Saturday Night Live, the concerts, the 1980 hit film, and beyond.

“Last year, The Blues Brothers film was selected by The Library of Congress to the National Film Registry, and being in this most worthwhile cultural preservation initiative made us realize there remains more to this story,” said Aykroyd. “Judy and I are pleased to collaborate with Utopia Originals to produce the only authorized, optimized, socio-forensic examination of the Blues Brothers and the world that created and embraces them.”

The film will “frame the Blues Brothers phenomenon as a springboard to explore the greater world of blues, rhythm, and blues and gospel,” said Belushi-Pisano. “Opening that door is interesting and exciting and undoubtedly will bring a great deal of depth to the project. With this collaboration, we continue Dan and John’s original mission to share their passion for this music and, foremost, to celebrate the artists who created it. We expect this to be a significant historical and cultural investigation.”

According to the official statement, there will be never-before-seen footage and it will also tackle “the sensitivities of race in the music industry and reveals the mindsets, intentions, and follow-through of the creators.”

Aykroyd adds “Much will be revealed that even I, as one of the originators, might not have been aware of. In the end, it will be all about the artists and their music.”

The series is still searching for a distributor, but given the success of the Belushi documentary that aired on Showtime last year, it could certainly have a home there.