The United Way: Release date, trailer and everything you need to know

The United Way
Sir Alex Ferguson presided over Manchester United's most successful period. (Image credit: Getty)

The United Way will take Manchester United fans on a jaunt down memory lane as the film charts the team's rise from the ashes of the Munich Air Disaster, to their historic treble in 1999. 

United icon Eric Cantona tells the story of how the club's working class roots were crucial in their rise to the top of world football, while also discussing his role launching their most successful era. 

With never-seen-before archive footage and a host of interviews with a former managers and players, it promises to be a great watch for United fans. 

When will The United Way be released? 

In the UK the film will launch on Sky Documentaries and NOW on Monday May 24, 2021. 

The United Way is already available for digital download in the US from Amazon, Google Play and iTunes.

The United Way

Eric Cantona tells the Manchester United story. (Image credit: Ad Hoc Films)

What is The United Way about? 

The United Way tells the story of how Manchester United became one of the world's most successful football teams and explaining what makes the Old Trafford outfit so special.

The film begins with with the story of "The Busby Babes", who won the 1957 league title under legendary manager Matt Busby, before many of the players tragically perished in the 1958 Munich Air Disaster. 

Eric Cantona narrates as the documentary charts the teams resurgence under Busby, to win the European Cup in 1968, with stars like Bobby Charlton and George Best in the team. 

Those glory years were followed by two relatively barren decades, yet United's fortunes changed with the arrival of Alex Ferguson in 1986 and Eric Cantona in 1992, as the team became the dominant force in English football and won a historic treble in 1999. 

"The United Way is at heart a story of the people," reads a press release. "It is set against a background of four dynamic decades of change on and off the pitch."

Who's in The United Way? 

Former striker Eric Cantona is the documentary's narrator, but former stars including David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Bryan Robson, Brian Kidd, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Teddy Sheringham, Nicky Butt, Peter Schmeichel, Ron Atkinson, Gordon Strachan, Norman Whiteside and the late Tommy Docherty also tell their stories. 

But it's not just people from the world of football who have their say, with former cabinet minister Michael Heseltine, ex-Labour leader Neil Kinnock and musicians Peter Hook of New Order and Shaun Ryder of The Happy Mondays also discussing the club's rise. 

Sean Marland

Sean is a Senior Feature writer for TV Times, What's On TV and TV & Satellite Week, who also writes for whattowatch.com. He's been covering the world of TV for over 15 years and in that time he's been lucky enough to interview stars like Ian McKellen, Tom Hardy and Kate Winslet. His favourite shows are I'm Alan Partridge, The Wire, People Just Do Nothing and Succession and in his spare time he enjoys drinking tea, doing crosswords and watching football.