An official documentary chronicling the final years of original Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno, titled ‘Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer‘, is set for a wider release in 2026. The announcement was made by the film’s director, Wes Orshoski, on the first anniversary of the singer’s passing, revealing that the documentary will begin hitting European film festivals this month.
Orshoski, acclaimed for his previous rock documentaries on Motörhead‘s Lemmy Kilmister and punk band The Damned, shared the news and reflected on the film’s long and often difficult production in a statement posted to his Instagram on Tuesday, October 21.
He wrote:
“With today being the first anniversary of Paul Di’Anno‘s death, it seems like the right time to let folks know that starting next week, my documentary about Paul (Iron Maiden‘s iconic early frontman) is finally going to leave the nest. Beginning with a friends & family screening on Tuesday in London, ‘Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer‘ is going to start hitting European film fests this month, with a wider release coming next year.”
“I started shooting this film in 2017 and for years there wasn’t much to capture. Paul was in a wheelchair, desperately waiting for surgeries that doctors in the U.K. refused to greenlight. By the time the pandemic hit, Paul‘s health had nosedived. And that’s when everything changed for him and my film. Kastro Pergjoni, who runs the Cart & Horses pub in London (known as ‘The Birthplace of Iron Maiden‘) launched a crowd-funding campaign to help Paul take control of his own destiny. Maiden fans around the world gave. And Croatian Maiden superfan/writer Stjepan Juras lobbied for Paul to seek treatment in Zagreb, where he could be treated affordably. Paul acquiesced. Without question, Kastro and Stjepan not only changed Paul‘s life, they extended it. My film largely documents their efforts, which were without question responsible for nearly all of the good moments at the end of Paul‘s life. So to remember The Beast today, here are some behind the scenes shots.”
Di’Anno himself spoke about the documentary in an interview last year, confirming it would cover “everything” and expressing his complete trust in the director. “Wes is a good mate of ours… He’s a great guy,” Di’Anno said at the time. “I trust Wes. He’s got me in all sorts of weird situations.”
Paul Di’Anno, the voice of Iron Maiden‘s groundbreaking first two albums, passed away on October 21, 2024, at the age of 66. The upcoming documentary promises an intimate and likely emotional look into the final, challenging years of one of heavy metal’s most iconic and often troubled figures.
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