Over a career that spanned more than half a century, photographer Richard Avedon captured movie stars and presidents, coal miners and drifters — lending his singular eye to the famous and the anonymous alike. By the time of his death, in 2004, he had become one of the most influential image-makers of the 20th century, with his fashion and portrait work helping define America’s image of style and beauty.
Now, Avedon, a new documentary from director Ron Howard, traces the life and legacy of the artist. The premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, and arrives on Netflix later this year.
Read on for everything to know about Avedon.
Avedon traces the life and legacy of an artist who used photography to reinvent the world around him. Drawing on unprecedented access to his personal archives — never-before-seen stills, intimate behind-the-lens footage, and new interviews with his closest collaborators — the film explores how his vision both reflected and reshaped the visual language of the 20th century, and why even the most iconic image is only half the story.
Avedon is directed by Academy Award–winning filmmaker Ron Howard.
“I’ve always been drawn to stories that help us better understand remarkable people,” Howard says. “Richard Avedon was an artist whose work continues to resonate not only because of the extraordinary images he created, but because of the humanity and curiosity behind them. At Imagine Documentaries, that’s exactly the kind of story we strive to tell, and this film gave us an extraordinary opportunity to explore Avedon’s legacy through an unparalleled archive and the voices of those who knew him best. We’re thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with Netflix to share his story with audiences everywhere.”
Avedon is a production of Imagine Documentaries and Fifth Season, in association with the Richard Avedon Foundation. The film is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Dallas Brennan Rexer, Sara Bernstein, Christopher St. John, and Justin Wilkes, with Meredith Kaulfers, Mary Lisio, Chris Rice, and Graham Taylor serving as executive producers.
The project continues Netflix’s partnership with Imagine Documentaries. The two companies recently teamed up on Marty, Life Is Short, a documentary feature that earned three Primetime Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Documentary Special.
Stay tuned for more updates on Avedon ahead of its streaming premiere later this year.
