Capturing Bigfoot Reopens the Patterson Mystery With New Film in Hand
Is it or isn’t it real? Capturing Bigfoot goes straight back into one of the most argued-over pieces of film in American folklore — the 1967 footage shot by Roger Patterson in Northern California — and then throws something new into the mix.
The documentary, directed by Marq Evans, follows the story behind the infamous Patterson footage and the decades of fallout that followed. But the real hook here is a newly discovered reel of 16mm film, found locked away in a safe more than half a century later, that forces the people closest to the story to reopen old questions about what happened, who believed what and how the legend grew.
Discover More
Capturing Bigfoot
Revisit one of the most debated pieces of footage ever shot and the new documentary reopening the case.
Some links may be affiliate links. INYIM may earn from qualifying purchases.
Patterson’s original film has spent decades being slowed down, blown up, stabilized, dissected and argued over from every possible angle. Capturing Bigfoot doesn’t just replay that debate. It brings in Patterson’s son Clint Patterson, Bob Gimlin and others tied directly to the story, while looking at the family legacy, broken friendships and belief system that formed around those few seconds of film.
The film opens in theaters on October 20, 2026, with select advance screenings and Q&As beginning earlier in the month. The same October 20 date also marks the anniversary of Patterson capturing the footage in 1967 — which, for a documentary built around one of the strangest enduring mysteries in pop culture, feels appropriately eerie.
Press play on the trailer first. Whether you’re a full believer, a lifelong skeptic or someone who just enjoys a mystery that refuses to die, the new reel alone makes this worth another look.
Capturing Bigfoot — Official Trailer
The official trailer previews Marq Evans’ documentary about Roger Patterson’s 1967 Bigfoot footage and the newly discovered 16mm reel at the center of the film.
And because apparently one Bigfoot rabbit hole is never enough, scope out Carson Daly’s reaction to the documentary’s sneak peek and the debate it immediately kicks back open.
Carson Daly Reacts to the Capturing Bigfoot Sneak Peek on NBC
NBC revisits the Roger Patterson footage as Carson Daly reacts to a preview of Capturing Bigfoot.
Sources: Capturing Bigfoot / XYZ Films and NBC.
