The YouTube Originals documentary The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash has set a premiere date of Nov. 11. A trailer for the 90-minute doc directed by frequent Bruce Springsteen collaborator, Emmy- and Grammy-winning filmmaker Thom Zimny (Springsteen on Broadway), dropped on Tuesday (Oct. 1), teasing what a press release promised is a wellspring of "recently discovered archival materials and interviews with family and celebrated collaborators," as it explores the country icon's "artistic victories, the personal tragedies, the struggles with addiction, and the spiritual pursuits" that drove his life.
The movie was created with the full cooperation of the Cash estate and uses his legendary 1968 gig at Folsom Prison as a central motif for the deep dive into Cash's life. Among the film's co-producers is Carter's son, John Carter Cash, the musician who is the only child of Cash and his beloved wife, June Carter Cash; it will also feature original music composed and performed by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready.