New Red Hot Chili Peppers Documentary Headed to Netflix

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers explores the band's origins and the lasting impact 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 influence 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 shape their iconic sound.

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 before they achieved global fame.

The details

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers draws on interviews with founding members and those close to Slovak, exploring how his creative vision shaped the band's signature sound before his death from a drug overdose in 1988 at age 26. The film was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival and has since had private showings in New York and Los Angeles.

  • The documentary will premiere on Netflix on March 20, 2026.
  • It was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival prior to securing its streaming home.

The players

Red Hot Chili Peppers

An American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, known for their iconic sound and enduring success over the past few decades.

Hillel Slovak

The founding guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose creative vision and influence on the band's sound is explored in the documentary before his death in 1988 at the age of 26.

Ben Feldman

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

Flea

The bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose childhood friendship with singer Anthony Kiedis helped spark the band's formation and success.

Anthony Kiedis

The lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose close bond with bassist Flea was integral to the band's origins and identity.

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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 (big1021.com)

What’s next

The documentary will premiere on Netflix on March 20, 2026, giving fans a rare, personal look at the origins and early years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The takeaway

This documentary provides a unique opportunity to explore the formative years and creative vision of one of rock music's most iconic and influential bands, shedding light on the enduring power of friendship and the lasting impact of a tragically short-lived but highly influential musician.