Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It (2026)

Movie review: Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It

Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It is a film from 2026. It is catalogued under Documentary, Music.

Story

With his signature gospel sound on the Hammond B3, Billy Preston doublehandedly elevated the greatest artists of his time – from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, from Aretha Franklin to Eric Clapton, from Ray Charles to Barbra Streisand to Sly and the Family Stone. In our film, we explore Billy's career and influence on generations of musicians, as he scored several number one hits of his own and became one of the most sought-after musicians in the world. He did all of this as a soul divided -- by his deep roots in the church, in constant conflict with his identity as a gay Black man, searching for a family of his own that would accept him for who he was.

Audience reaction

TMDB records an audience rating of 10.0/10 based on 1 votes.

Production

Release date: February 20, 2026 · Runtime: 105 minutes · Original language: English

Official trailer

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Cast

Billy PrestonSelfRingo StarrSelfOlivia HarrisonSelfEric ClaptonSelfGloria JonesSelf

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Suzanne de PasseSelfMerry ClaytonSelfBilly PorterSelf

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Cory HenrySelf

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Robert MargouleffSelf