The documentary Marley, about the legendary reggae star Bob Marley, is set to screen in North America and the UK on April 20, but fans at home can stream the film on Facebook for a rental fee on the same day -- the first new US film to be offered as a Facebook rental the same day as its theatrical release, according to Billboard.
Directed by Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, State of Play), the film chronicles Marley's life and music from Jamaica to the superstardom on the world stage and his untimely death from cancer in 1981 at age 36.
The film will be available via Facebook in the US for a $6.99 rental beginning April 20 -- a portion of the proceeds from Facebook sales will benefit the Save the Children charity. As with other Facebook film rentals, viewers can also post comments on the movie, interact with friends, and update their status at the same time they're watching the film.
Marley’s Facebook page currently has more than 37 million fan “likes,” making it one of the top 20 most popular pages in the world, according to Billboard.
The film features rare concert footage and interviews with Marley's family and friends, such as his son Ziggy and wife Rita Marley and Jimmy Cliff. Performances of hits such as "One Love," "I Shot the Sheriff," "No Woman, No Cry" and "Jammin'" are also shown as Marley and the Wailers hit the world stage.
Marley saw its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival and opens in Canada and several European markets in May, followed by France in June.
Disney’s Marvel Studios also recently announced that the film The Avengers will be screened early for Facebook users -- but the catch is that it is only available in select cities, and it won’t be viewable early via Facebook.
Rather, the studio announced that the film will offer advance screenings around the globe in cities where The Avengers has gained the most Facebook “likes.” Early screenings will start with shows in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Houston, and Miami on April 14, with the film debuting in the US on May 4. International cities have a shot too, with Marvel planning a round of five more screenings. For details, visit the fan screenings page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100129843764040
Watch the Marley trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ7U_3bJoBk
Visit the Bob Marlet Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BobMarley
