New Red Hot Chili Peppers Documentary Headed to Netflix

Film explores the band's origins and the legacy of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A new documentary chronicling the early days of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the impact of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak is set to premiere on Netflix on March 20. Directed by Ben Feldman, the film revisits the band's scrappy beginnings in the 1980s Los Angeles music scene and the close friendship between bassist Flea and singer Anthony Kiedis that helped spark their enduring career.

Why it matters

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the most influential and successful rock bands of the past few decades, and this documentary promises to offer a rare, personal look at the relationships and creative vision that defined the group's identity in its formative years before global fame. The film also shines a light on the legacy of Hillel Slovak, whose untimely death at age 26 had a profound impact on the band.

The details

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival and has since had private showings in New York and Los Angeles. The documentary draws on interviews with founding members and those close to Slovak, exploring how his creative vision shaped the group's signature sound before his death from a drug overdose in 1988.

  • The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers will premiere on Netflix on March 20, 2026.
  • The documentary was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

The players

Red Hot Chili Peppers

An American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, known for their eclectic blend of funk, punk, and alternative rock.

Hillel Slovak

The founding guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose creative vision and untimely death at age 26 had a profound impact on the band.

Ben Feldman

The director of The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary.

Flea

The bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, known for his close friendship with lead singer Anthony Kiedis.

Anthony Kiedis

The lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose friendship with bassist Flea helped spark the band's enduring career.

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What they’re saying

“It's a true honor to partner with Netflix to bring The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to a global audience. At its heart, this is a deeply relatable story — about the friendships that shape our identities and the lasting power of the bonds forged in adolescence. What's less relatable, of course, is that here those friends went on to create one of the greatest rock bands in history.”

— Ben Feldman, Director (95xlive.com)

What’s next

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers will premiere on Netflix on March 20, 2026.

The takeaway

This documentary promises to offer a rare, intimate look at the origins of one of rock's most enduring and influential bands, shedding light on the creative vision and personal relationships that defined the Red Hot Chili Peppers' identity in their formative years.