PAUL DI'ANNO documentary director says IRON MAIDEN members didn't want to participate in the making of the film
26-05-2026
Cleopatra Entertainment recently announced the theatrical release of the documentary film “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer” into U.K. cinemas at Birmingham’s Mockingbird Cinema, followed by screenings in the U.K.’s Light Cinema chain. The film will also see its North American theatrical premiere for public audiences at the Lumiere Music Hall Theater, 9036 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, California 90211 on June 9, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., which is also the official North American release date for both the digital VOD and home entertainment DVD/Blu-ray formats. A special question-and-answer session with director Wes Orshoski will immediately follow the Beverly Hills screening.
In a strikingly raw and intimate film, Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film “Lemmy” about the MOTÖRHEAD icon, and 2015’s “The Damned: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead”, about punk rock legends THE DAMNED, captures the late singer riding an emotional rollercoaster toward the end of his life. Featuring appearances by James Hetfield (METALLICA), Gene Simmons (KISS), MAIDEN‘s Steve Harris and members of EXODUS, SLAYER, MEGADETH, OVERKILL and SEPULTURA, the film chronicles how two IRON MAIDEN fans encounter Di’Anno at the lowest point of his life and then set out to restore his health and relaunch his career.
In a new interview with Billboard, Orshoski stated about Di’Anno and the personal time he shared with the singer during the filming of “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer”: “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.
“You have to understand, I was filming him during some of the worst times in his life,” Wes 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.
“To be honest with you, I grew a lot from working with Paul,” Wes added. “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.”
Asked if he was in touch with the IRON MAIDEN camp during the making of “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer”, Orshoski said: “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 since the mid-2010s, Di’Anno‘s health nosedived during the COVID-19 pandemic, when those two fans launched a crowdfunding campaign which ultimately led to him relocating to Croatia, where — through the help of those fans and doctors — he made a dramatic turnaround while running out of money, reuniting with his former MAIDEN bandmates, and falling in love. Eventually he makes a heroic and drama-filled return to the stage. All of this is captured in “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer”, which Orshoski began shooting in 2017.
“For years there wasn’t much to capture,” says Orshoski. “Paul was waiting for surgeries that doctors in the U.K. would not green-light. 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.”
One of icons of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, London-born Di’Anno helped launch IRON MAIDEN around the world, appearing on two of the most foundational metal albums ever released: IRON MAIDEN‘s 1980 self-titled debut and the celebrated follow-up, “Killers”, released in 1981. In one of the most epic sagas in metal history, Di’Anno left MAIDEN in 1981 and was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, leaving metal fans around the world to debate which line-up and which singer was/is better. It’s a debate that continues to this day, almost 50 years later.
Orshoski finished work on the film (which was shot in England, Croatia, Brazil and the United States) shortly before Di’Anno‘s death at 66 in October 2023. “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer” has been screening at European film festivals and will be released worldwide on both streaming services and on home entertainment DVD and Blu-ray formats.
The official trailer can be viewed below.
A new live album from Paul Di’Anno will also be posthumously released in 2026. It will be the singer’s last live LP, recorded on tour in 2024.
More details, including the album title, the track listing, the record label and the concert where the album was recorded, will be revealed before Christmas.
Di’Anno‘s new live record will be released exclusively on vinyl in a very limited edition.
According to a post on Paul‘s social media, “The name of the album, the art design of the cover and the layout, as a kind of concept, will carry a special message and will make all fans very proud.”
As previously reported, an official documentary about Di’Anno, “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer”, will also be released in 2026. The film was helmed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film “Lemmy” about the MOTÖRHEAD icon, and 2015’s “The Damned: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead”, about punk rock legends THE DAMNED.
On Tuesday (October 21), Wes took to his Instagram to share a few photos of Paul, and he included the following message: “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.”
Since leaving IRON MAIDEN, Paul Di’Anno had a long and eventful recording career with BATTLEZONE and KILLERS as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.
Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.
His first career retrospective album, “The Book Of The Beast”, was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving IRON MAIDEN.
In December 2022, Di’Anno spent time in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier that year by Di’Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante “Pupi” Pupačić. The resulting LP was made available in July 2024 under the PAUL DI’ANNO’S WARHORSE banner.
WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — “Stop The War” and “The Doubt Within” — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul‘s video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his knee operation.
The WARHORSE single marked Di’Anno‘s first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.
Di’Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery in September 2022, played the first show since the operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.
In May 2022, Di’Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist and founder Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band’s concert in Croatia. Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in the “Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer” documentary.
On May 16. 20215, Metalville Records released “In Memory Of” from Paul Di’Anno.
Di’Anno was laid to rest on November 21 at the City Of London Cemetery And Crematorium in Manor Park, East London, United Kingdom.
Watch the photos below
Di’Anno, whose real name was Paul Andrews, passed away on October 21 at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66.
On November 11, the following message was posted on Paul‘s social media: “Dear fans and friends, we have received permission from Paul‘s family to bring you the news of Paul’s cause of death, after the results of the autopsy have been received. His sisters Cheryl and Michelle confirmed the following: ‘Basically he had a tear in the sac around the heart and blood has filled inside it from the main aorta artery and that has caused the heart to stop.’ Paul‘s death was instantaneous and hopefully painless. May he rest in peace.
“This weekend, an In Memoriam show was held at Underworld Camden, where many of Paul‘s fans, friends, colleagues and family members came. With a magnificent musical set, his musical colleagues said a worthy farewell to their friend.”
Born in Chingford, East London on May 17, 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English heavy metal band IRON MAIDEN between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album “Iron Maiden” and the influential follow-up release, “Killers”.
Since leaving IRON MAIDEN, Paul Di’Anno had a long and eventful recording career with BATTLEZONE and KILLERS as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.
Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.
His first career retrospective album, “The Book Of The Beast”, was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving IRON MAIDEN.
In December 2022, Di’Anno spent time in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier that year by Di’Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante “Pupi” Pupačić. The resulting LP was made available in July 2024 under the PAUL DI’ANNO’S WARHORSE banner.
WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — “Stop The War” and “The Doubt Within” — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul‘s video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his knee operation.
The WARHORSE single marked Di’Anno‘s first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.
Di’Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery in September 2022, played the first show since the operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.
In May 2022, Di’Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band’s concert in Croatia.
Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in the upcoming Di’Anno documentary, which is being helmed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film “Lemmy” about the MOTÖRHEAD icon, and 2015’s “The Damned: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead”, about punk rock legends THE DAMNED.
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