Oscar-winning director working on new Kenny Dalglish documentary

Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish is set to be the subject of a new documentary, King Kenny, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia.

The project will chart Dalglish’s extraordinary success as both a player and manager at Liverpool FC, with a release expected in 2025 on Prime Video.

Speaking about the project at the launch in London on Monday, Kapadia, 52, expressed his excitement.

In quotes reported by the Daily Record, he said: "It’s a huge honour to have the opportunity to make a film with and about the Liverpool FC legend Kenny Dalglish, my favourite player growing up."

"I had his picture on my wall as a kid, so it’s a dream to have full access to Kenny and never-seen-before material from Kenny and his family, fellow players and the club."

Acclaimed director

Kapadia, acclaimed for his documentaries on Diego Maradona, Ayrton Senna and Amy Winehouse, has already begun conducting extensive interviews with Dalglish, who remains a revered figure in football.

Dalglish, now 73, had an illustrious career that began at Celtic before he moved to Liverpool in 1977, where he made 355 appearances and scored 118 goals.

The Scotsman went on to become the club's player-manager before stepping down in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster in 1991.

He then returned to the club as manager from 2011 to 2012 following the sacking of Roy Hodgson.

To this date, he remains one of the club’s most celebrated figures, frequently named as Liverpool’s greatest-ever player in fan polls.

His enduring legacy among supporters is evident, with many still affectionately referring to him as “King Kenny.”

'A huge compliment'

Dalglish, reflecting on the documentary, shared his thoughts after the project was announced during an interview in London: “When I spoke to Asif, it was a huge compliment he came to me. The only thing I was conscious of was two of the films he made were done posthumously, so I hope we have enough time to finish it.”

"It is fantastic what he has done and I hope I don’t sound disrespectful to those two people who passed away. If he wants to sit down and do it, it is a pleasure and we have already done about six hours of conversation.

“We sit down and talk and he has got his camera and it is a different side he is coming from, the performances he has done in the past. I know how good they are and it will be a wee bit different. For me, it wasn’t the taking part that counted, it was the winning.”

The documentary is anticipated to feature contributions from fellow football greats, as Dalglish’s impact on the sport transcends club loyalties.

King Kenny is expected to offer an intimate portrayal of Dalglish, both on and off the pitch, aiming to introduce his legacy to a new generation of fans as well as to those who remember his playing days vividly.