Netflix is set to unveil a powerful new documentary series exploring the life and legacy of Michael Hutchence, the iconic frontman of Australian rock band INXS. Building on the emotional depth of the 2019 feature film Mystify: Michael Hutchence, this new series promises a broader and more detailed look into the life of one of rock music’s most enigmatic and charismatic figures.
Hutchence, known for his electrifying stage presence and hauntingly poetic lyrics, was a defining figure in 1980s and ’90s music. His sudden death in 1997 shocked the world, and in the years since, fans and fellow artists have continued to reflect on the complexity behind his fame. The upcoming Netflix series aims to shed new light on Hutchence’s journey—from his early rise with INXS to his personal struggles that remained hidden behind the spotlight.
Produced by Pulse Films, the award-winning team behind The Defiant Ones and The Last Dance, the series will be executive produced by John Battsek, the Oscar-winning documentarian. The production boasts exclusive access to previously unseen footage, personal home videos, and candid interviews with Hutchence’s family, close friends, and fellow INXS band members.
While Mystify: Michael Hutchence, directed by Richard Lowenstein, offered an intimate, single-episode portrait of the singer’s personal life and the head injury that deeply affected his behavior and emotional well-being, the Netflix series will span multiple episodes—offering a more expansive view of Hutchence’s life, both on and off stage.
“This series is a chance to give people the full story,” said Andrew Farriss, INXS keyboardist and co-songwriter. “Michael was more than a frontman. He was an artist, a thinker, and a beautiful soul who wrestled with a lot more than people knew.”
The series will chronicle INXS’s evolution from a local Sydney band in the late 1970s to international superstardom, thanks to era-defining albums like Kick, Listen Like Thieves, and X. It will also explore Hutchence’s high-profile relationships, his battles with the media, and the creative pressures of global fame.
Importantly, the show will reexamine the impact of the 1992 assault in Copenhagen that left Hutchence with a traumatic brain injury—a turning point that Mystify brought to public awareness, and which the new series will explore in greater emotional and medical detail.
As 2025 marks key anniversaries for both Hutchence’s legacy and INXS’s breakthrough success, this Netflix documentary series promises to be a defining tribute—an essential watch for long-time fans and a revealing introduction for a new generation discovering the brilliance and vulnerability of Michael Hutchence.
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