A documentary about rock icons the Eagles has become the first big success story of this year's (13) Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

Alison Ellwood's History of the Eagles premiered at the festival on Saturday (19Jan13) and the film has been snapped up by executives at U.S. cable network Showtime.

The documentary, which chronicles the career of the Hotel California hitmakers, will debut in two parts over consecutive nights in February (13).

Ellwood conducted interviews with current and former band members as well as contemporaries including Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt.