Netflix has announced the upcoming release of a highly anticipated documentary series centered on the original Alice Cooper, the legendary American heavy metal band that helped shape the genre’s evolution…

Netflix has announced the upcoming release of a major new documentary series chronicling the rise, impact, and enduring legacy of the original Alice Cooper band—an American rock institution that played a crucial role in shaping the identity and theatricality of heavy metal as we know it today. Set for release later this year, the series promises to go far beyond the typical rock biopic, offering an unfiltered, in-depth look at the band that turned shock rock into an art form and helped forge a path for the future of heavy music.

While the name Alice Cooper has become synonymous with the persona of frontman Vincent Furnier, the original Alice Cooper was a full-fledged band formed in the late 1960s—a group of high school friends from Phoenix who combined their love of hard rock, horror films, and avant-garde theater to create something entirely new. This documentary, produced in close collaboration with Netflix and the surviving original band members, focuses on that early era: the raw beginnings, the rise to fame, and the internal struggles that led to their split at the peak of their success.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Alison Ellwood (known for History of the Eagles and Laurel Canyon), the series pulls together hundreds of hours of rare material—vintage footage from early Detroit performances, backstage moments from the Love It to Death and Billion Dollar Babies tours, and newly unearthed recordings that haven’t been heard since the 1970s. The story is told through the eyes of the original five: Vincent Furnier, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith, whose chemistry on and off stage created an unmistakable magic that propelled them into rock history.

What made Alice Cooper revolutionary wasn’t just the music—it was the vision. The band merged gritty garage rock with theatrical horror elements, creating a stage show that was as controversial as it was captivating. Guillotines, snakes, fake blood, and elaborate sets made their concerts legendary and deeply polarizing. Parents and politicians were outraged, while a generation of disaffected youth saw Alice Cooper as their voice—bold, bizarre, and unapologetically rebellious.

The documentary will also feature interviews with prominent musicians and cultural figures who were shaped by Alice Cooper’s influence. Dave Grohl, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie are among those who speak candidly about how the band redefined performance in rock, pushed boundaries, and paved the way for the visual and sonic extremes of later metal and hard rock acts. In an emotional segment, Metallica’s James Hetfield recounts discovering Killer as a teenager, describing it as a “gateway drug to everything heavy.”

One of the most anticipated elements of the series is its exploration of the often misunderstood relationship between the band members and the persona of “Alice Cooper.” The documentary delves into the point when Vincent Furnier adopted the band’s name as his own—and the confusion, tension, and eventual disbandment that followed. Archival audio from Glen Buxton, who passed away in 1997, is said to offer rare insight into the toll that fame and substance abuse took on the group as a whole.

Netflix insiders have described the tone of the series as “part horror film, part coming-of-age drama, and part rock-and-roll fable.” The production team worked closely with Shep Gordon, Alice Cooper’s long-time manager and an icon in the music industry, to ensure authenticity and depth. Gordon himself appears in several episodes, providing firsthand accounts of key moments—like the infamous chicken incident at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, and the band’s chaotic early years living in Frank Zappa’s Laurel Canyon enclave.

While Netflix has yet to announce a release date, the first teaser trailer is expected this summer, with the full series dropping in the fall. With growing public interest in music documentaries and rock nostalgia at an all-time high, this project is already being hailed as a definitive portrait of one of the most original and influential bands in heavy metal and rock history.

More than just a behind-the-scenes story, this documentary aims to restore the identity of the original Alice Cooper band in the public consciousness. For decades, their contributions have often been overshadowed by the mythos of the solo artist. Now, Netflix is setting the record straight—shining a spotlight on the collective genius that helped shape the sound, style, and soul of heavy metal.