Cleopatra Entertainment has officially confirmed the theatrical rollout for the highly anticipated documentary film, “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer“. The film is scheduled to run in U.K. cinemas starting at Birmingham’s Mockingbird Cinema before expanding to the Light Cinema chain. Audiences in the United States will be able to attend the official North American theatrical premiere on June 9, 2026, at the Lumiere Music Hall Theater in Beverly Hills, California. Following the screening, director Wes Orshoski will host a special question-and-answer session. The date also marks the official North American release for both digital VOD and physical DVD/Blu-ray formats.
The strikingly intimate film captures the intense emotional rollercoaster that legendary Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno endured toward the end of his life. Chronicling how two dedicated fans encountered the singer at his absolute lowest point and launched a campaign to restore his health, the documentary is packed with appearances from heavy metal royalty, featuring interviews with James Hetfield of Metallica, Gene Simmons of Kiss, Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, and members of Exodus, Slayer, Megadeth, Overkill, and Sepultura.
In a new interview with Billboard, director Wes Orshoski, whose previous documentary credits include profiling Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister and punk legends The Damned, opened up about the personal time he shared with the unpredictable vocalist during the prolonged filming process.
“I filmed with him on and off from 2017 to 2023. Paul could be an absolute sweetheart, a lovely man, and he could be an absolute demon. I tried to show both sides in the film. I enjoyed being around the easy-joking funny guy quite a lot. When he was in a great mood, he could be super fun and a blast. Zero ego. But when the Mr. Hyde side of him reared its head, it could be ugly for everyone within earshot. And he was sort of unapologetic about that nastiness. That said, several times I would see him blow up and then I would notice that he would almost immediately feel awful about it,” he explained.
“You have to understand, I was filming him during some of the worst times in his life,” Orshoski continued. “I mean, imagine where your mental health would be if stuck in a wheelchair going on almost a decade, and desperately trying to put your life back together and you have a camera on you. I know I for one could not endure that. So I try to keep that in mind when thinking back on the darker moments.”
Reflecting on how the stressful environment ultimately shifted his own perspective, the director admitted that his relationship with the singer forced him to grow both personally and professionally.
“To be honest with you, I grew a lot from working with Paul. After the film had dragged on for a few years, I remember filming him in his care center in Croatia, and on this particular day we really got into it with the camera rolling, just yelling at each other. I watched it a few years later with a different sort of perspective and realized he was absolutely right about everything he was barking at me about. I called him up to apologize. He was in Mexico at the time, and he couldn’t have cared less. He was more interested in what sort of tacos he was going to order for lunch. So as much as he was rightly known as The Beast, there was a certain amount of grace there, too,” he added.
Given the documentary’s focus, the participation of the Iron Maiden camp was a massive point of interest. However, Wes Orshoski revealed that securing the band’s involvement was initially met with a firm rejection from their longtime manager, Rod Smallwood.
“The very first thing I did after signing a contract with Cleopatra was call Iron Maiden management. Maiden manager Rod Smallwood was very kind, but immediately told me that neither he or any of the current bandmembers would be participating. Obviously, it was a massive bummer, but not unexpected. In the end, though, I’m very happy to say that Steve Harris and the rest of the guys do appear in the film.”
Wheelchair-bound for nearly a decade, the singer’s physical health severely nosedived during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a massive global crowdfunding campaign allowed him to relocate to Croatia for affordable treatment. Against all odds, he made a dramatic medical turnaround, reunited with his former bandmates, fell in love, and executed a heroic return to the live stage.
“For years there wasn’t much to capture. Paul was waiting for surgeries that doctors in the U.K. would not greenlight. He was in an incredibly dark place. But once he got to Croatia, fans and doctors gave him the hope he was desperately searching for. It was beautiful to witness. I wanted to make a film that was unlike any rock doc you’ve ever seen. And in the end, I think we got there,” Wes said earlier.
As an undisputed icon of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, the London-born vocalist was instrumental in launching Iron Maiden onto the global stage. He provided the gritty, punk-infused vocal power behind two of the most foundational heavy metal albums ever recorded: the band’s 1980 self-titled debut, Iron Maiden, and the celebrated 1981 follow-up, Killers. Following his departure from the group, he was famously replaced by Bruce Dickinson, sparking a fierce fan debate over the band’s definitive era that still rages nearly a half-century later.
Paul Di’Anno passed away on October 21, 2024, at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66. Shortly before his passing, his vast solo and collaborative career was celebrated with the retrospective album, The Book Of The Beast. He was laid to rest the following month in East London, leaving behind a massive legacy that “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer” now aims to preserve and celebrate for future generations.
