Newly discovered footage may shed light on one of the most famous Bigfoot sightings in history, with a documentary offering evidence that the iconic sequence may have been staged.
Capture BigfootDirected by Marq Evans, it explores the origins of the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film, which appeared to show a giant ape-like creature walking through the forests of Northern California.
The documentary’s opening title states, “No one was sure whether this movie was real or a hoax,” before adding: “Until now.”
The film’s website promotes the documentary as “a story about family, legacy, broken friendships and faith itself.”
according to typeThis documentary investigates the people behind these iconic shots and the context in which they were created. The documentary’s trailer provides a preview of the investigation.
Newsweek contacted Capture Bigfoot The documentary team sought comment via email on Monday.
The documentary’s investigation focuses on a roll of 16mm film found in a safe by Teresa Brooks, whose father, Norm Johnson, worked in Boeing’s film division and had ties to those involved in the original footage.
Evans said on the podcast that Brooks contacted him in 2022 after finding the reel, which reportedly contained about 40 seconds of footage from 1966, the year before the famous Bigfoot movie was recorded.
The newly discovered material appears to show a Bigfoot-like figure walking through the woods, in a scene that bears similarities to footage from 1967. The documentary treats this as a possible rehearsal for the later film.
The film also features interviews with people involved in the original sightings, including Roger Patterson’s son Clint Patterson, who discusses his father’s role and the family’s understanding of what happened.
Clint said he came to believe the video was a hoax after his mother, Patricia Patterson, told him the truth. Bob Heironimus, who previously claimed to have worn a Bigfoot costume during the original filming, is also one of the subjects of the documentary. Variety claimed that Hieronymus had a “familiar loping walk,” referring to the ape-like creature’s gait captured on camera in 1967.
New footage and accounts from people connected to Patterson have combined to strengthen the argument that the famous sighting was staged.
However, the existence and interpretation of the newly discovered footage alone will not ultimately resolve the decades-old controversy surrounding the original film.
Evans was reportedly skeptical when asked if he thought the documentary would lead people to believe Bigfoot was the product of folklore, false animal sightings and hoaxes. people Magazine:
“I’m certainly not one of those skeptics who wants to prove [Bigfoot] “That’s not true,” Evans said. “We were just focused on telling the story of the Patterson movie. But I think that’s really hard to accept for a lot of people who have so much history and faith.”
Capture BigfootThe film, which premiered at the SXSW (South by Southwest) Film Festival in March, explores not only the footage but also the personal relationships and family tensions surrounding this enduring mystery. The documentary will have a limited theatrical release in October with live Q&A, and is scheduled to be available on Amazon Prime Video in the United States and Canada starting October 20, 2026.
The Patterson-Gimlin film was recorded on October 20, 1967 by Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin near Bluff Creek in Northern California.
The approximately 59-second clip shows a large, hair-covered figure walking through a clearing before turning his head towards the camera and disappearing into the woods. This character was later nicknamed Patty.
Patterson insists the footage shows a real creature, while Gimlin continues to deny the pair staged a hoax.
The film became one of the most widely discussed pieces of evidence of Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, a creature said to inhabit remote forests in North America.
Bigfoot has become a fixture in American folklore, with reports of sightings, alleged footprints and eyewitness accounts of the creature sustaining interest for decades. Despite widespread public attention, its existence has not been scientifically proven.
The 1967 footage remains a source of controversy, with supporters arguing the character’s appearance and movements are difficult to interpret as that of a person in costume. Skeptics, meanwhile, have questioned the circumstances of the shooting and suggested the photo may have been staged.
Newly discovered footage emerges Capture Bigfoot Now, these competing explanations are back in the spotlight, potentially providing new explanations for a mystery that has persisted for nearly six decades.
Newsweek reporters and editors used our artificial intelligence assistant Martyn to produce this story. Learn more about Martin here. Contact Newsweek editors Robert Greenall and Ben Kelly.