Iron Maiden announce cinema release for their career-spanning documentary Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition

Iron Maiden's documentary film Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition will be shown in the UK cinemas on May 7.

Directed by Malcolm Venville (Churchill at War) and produced by Dominic Freeman (Spirits in the Forest – A Depeche Mode Film), the feature‑length documentary spans Iron Maiden’s five‑decade career, and their journey from Steve Harris' East London bedroom to stadiums worldwide.

With unprecedented access to official band archives, and featuring exclusive interviews with Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Nicko McBrain and manager Rod Smallwood, the film offers an intimate look at their uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their global army of fans. It also features contributions from some famous fans, including film star Javier Bardem, Metallica's Lars Ulrich, and Public Enemy's Chuck D.

Formed in East London in 1975, Iron Maiden have grown into one of the world’s most influential and enduring rock bands. Across 50 years they have released 17 studio albums, sold over 100 million records, and performed almost 2,500 concerts across 64 countries.

The documentary arrives as the band continues its two year Run For Your Lives world tour, which included a triumphant homecoming performance at London Stadium, the home of Steve Harris' beloved West Ham United, a short distance from where it all began five decades ago.

Tickets for the film will go on sale on March 18, here.

Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition poster — (Image credit: Universal Pictures International )

In the UK, the band's journey continues this summer with the inaugural EddFest, a bespoke festival at Knebworth Park on July 11.

It will feature what the band call ‘Maiden World’, which includes a stage with live bands who have connections to Maiden, as well as a funfair, a museum celebrating their 50th anniversary and an expanded bar.

Manager Rod Smallwood comments: “After the monumental shows in the UK last year, we knew that if we were going to play the UK in 2026 it had to be very different. So we chose Knebworth Park as it gives us the space required – which is just not available in stadiums – to put together something groundbreaking for our fans by creating a Maiden World for them. We are excited to now reveal the details of this one-off event to celebrate the band’s 50 year career, which we are now calling Eddfest, because, as everyone knows, Eddie is the true star of the show!”

He adds: “We also know Maiden fans are basically a huge gang and we want to give them a weekend to remember at Knebworth. For the last couple of tours we have been arranging the Eddie Dive Bars for our fans, both pre- and post-show. Some of these took over the entire centres of towns with thousands of fans gathered there enjoying the fun, the music and each other’s company. So Eddfest is going to expand on that concept in a huge variety of ways, to create a truly unmissable Maiden World over the whole weekend!

“There will be a whole host of great music, great beer (of course!), lots of exciting and varied fun things to do, great souvenirs and merch, some unique and fantastic photo opportunities to create unbeatable Maiden memories, and of course, the true camaraderie that comes from being a Maiden fan.”

Get tickets for all dates on the Run For Your Lives world tour here.

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.

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