In an era where legacy acts often bask in the glowing tributes of retrospective documentaries and concert films, Depeche Mode: Spirits and Shadows — the 2026 cinematic journey into the band’s turbulent inner world — has taken a darker, more unsettling turn. The film, originally intended as a celebration of Depeche Mode’s enduring cultural impact and their 2023–2024 “Memento Mori” tour, has instead ignited controversy among fans, critics, and even the band members themselves. Most notably, frontman Dave Gahan has confessed that watching the film was a “painful” experience.
A Legacy Reconsidered
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund, Spirits and Shadows was announced in late 2024 as a bold, behind-the-scenes portrait of Depeche Mode’s creative rebirth following the death of founding member Andy Fletcher in 2022. The band, now reduced to the core duo of Gahan and Martin Gore, embarked on their emotionally charged “Memento Mori” album and subsequent world tour — a project meant to both honor Fletcher’s memory and confront the specter of mortality head-on.
Fans eagerly anticipated a film chronicling this new chapter. What they received in 2026, however, was something far more raw and unfiltered than expected. Rather than focusing solely on music, the documentary delved into the psychological and emotional toll of decades of fame, addiction, grief, and interpersonal tension between Gahan and Gore.
Gahan’s Reaction: “It Hurt to Watch”
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Dave Gahan did not mince words about his discomfort. “It hurt to watch,” he said candidly. “It’s not a pretty film. There are moments I wanted to walk out of the screening. Seeing yourself at your lowest, or worse — seeing how others saw you at your lowest — that’s not entertainment. That’s exposure.”
Gahan referred specifically to scenes capturing backstage conflicts, therapy sessions, and archival footage from the ’90s era, when his heroin addiction nearly derailed the band and his life. “There’s a part where Martin says he didn’t know if I was going to make it. That hit me in the gut. I didn’t know either.”
Gore, who has remained publicly more reserved about the film, did release a short statement acknowledging its intensity. “The film is honest. It’s not always flattering. But it tells the truth — at least as much as we were willing to share.”
Fan Divides and Critical Debate
Reactions to Spirits and Shadows have been polarized. On fan forums and social media, many longtime devotees praised the film’s brutal honesty, calling it a necessary reckoning with the past. “This isn’t just a concert film, it’s a confessional,” one fan wrote on Reddit. “It made me respect them even more.”
Others felt betrayed by what they saw as an exploitation of personal trauma. “I didn’t need to see Gahan crying in a hotel room or Martin chain-smoking alone in the dressing room,” one Twitter user posted. “Where was the music? The joy?”
Critics have also been split. Rolling Stone hailed the documentary as “a courageous dissection of artistic endurance in the face of self-destruction,” while Pitchfork criticized it for “romanticizing suffering and offering little resolution.”
Controversy Over Consent and Editing
A particularly thorny point of contention centers around how much control the band had over the final cut. While Åkerlund has insisted that Gahan and Gore had editorial input, sources close to the production allege that some footage was used without the band’s full awareness of how it would be contextualized.
“There were moments we agreed to be filmed, but we didn’t know they’d be cut together like that,” an unnamed source reportedly from the band’s inner circle told Variety. “The narrative makes it seem like they were constantly at odds, when really there were long stretches of genuine camaraderie.”
Åkerlund, responding to criticism at the Berlin premiere, defended his choices: “I didn’t set out to make them look bad. I set out to show them as they really are — complicated, brilliant, flawed human beings who’ve survived more than most bands could.”
The Bigger Picture: Rock Doc Reckonings
Spirits and Shadows arrives at a time when music documentaries are becoming increasingly self-revealing. From Billie Eilish’s The World’s a Little Blurry to the intimate Beastie Boys Story, the genre has evolved beyond mere concert footage into full-blown psychological portraits. Depeche Mode’s entry into this space, however, appears to have gone further than most — perhaps too far.
What remains undeniable is the emotional weight the film carries. It is not a cleanly packaged tale of survival or redemption. There’s no triumphant third-act resolution. The concert footage, when it appears, often plays beneath voiceovers of Gahan or Gore grappling with regret, age, or loss.
What Comes Next?
Despite the backlash, the film has reignited global interest in Depeche Mode. Album sales have surged, and the band’s catalog is experiencing a renaissance on streaming platforms. Yet questions remain: Will the fallout from the film impact the duo’s creative partnership? Is this the last we’ll see of Depeche Mode in this form?
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 6, Gahan was asked whether he regretted participating in the film. After a long pause, he said, “I don’t regret telling the truth. I just didn’t realize how much it would hurt to watch it.”
Whether Spirits and Shadows will stand as a cathartic exorcism or a cautionary tale about artistic vulnerability remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: In 2026, Depeche Mode has once again proven that even after four decades, they’re still pushing boundaries — and still sparking conversations.
