United States / Mar 08, 2024 / SXSW Film & TV Festival

Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It (2026)
Overall average
5.0/10
Trailer

Videos
Plot
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.
Main cast
Full cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Billy Porter | Self |
| Cory Henry | Self |
| Robert Margouleff | Self |
| Bill Maxwell | Self |
| Sam Moore | Self |
| David Ritz | Self |
| Anthony Jones | Self (as Tony Jones) |
Genres
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It |
| Original language | English (EN) |
| Spoken languages | English |
| Production countries | United States of America |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | White Horse Pictures, Homegrown Pictures, Concord Originals, Impact Partners, Chicago Media Project, Play/Action Pictures, Polygram Entertainment, Sobey Road Entertainment, Abramorama |
| Official site | billyprestonfilm.com |
| Release date | 20 febbraio 2026 |
| Executive producer | |
| Production | Stephanie Allain, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Nigel Sinclair, Gabrielle Ebron, Michael Tamburrino, K. Nicole Mills, Ashley Q. Lynch, Cheo Hodari Coker, Ryan Everitt |
| Writer | Paris Barclay, Cheo Hodari Coker |
| Editing | Scott D. Hanson |
| Cinematography | Ernesto Lomeli, Carmen Delaney |
| Assistant directors | Paris Barclay |
Show more
| Camera operators | Ernesto Lomeli, Carmen Delaney |
| Additional photography | Ernesto Lomeli, Carmen Delaney |
| Music | Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge |
| Sound | Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge |
Release dates
Premiere
Limited release
United States / Feb 20, 2026
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