Iron Maiden announce documentary ‘Burning Ambition’ set for 2026

A brand new Iron Maiden documentary is set for cinemas soon.

Titled Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition, the band announced this morning (Feb 25) that the film lands in theatres around the world on May 7, 2026. The not-so-great news? New Zealand has been left off that list. 

That said, with global premieres locked in, you’d have to assume there’ll be some way for Kiwi fans to watch it once the cinema run wraps up. Streaming feels like a safe bet, but we’ll keep an eye on that.

Directed by Malcolm Venville and produced by Dominic Freeman, the doco spans five decades, charting Maiden’s rise from East London pubs to the world’s biggest stadiums. According to the official description, it features “unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past.”

There are also interviews including Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, plus new animated sequences of their legendary mascot Eddie. The film promises “a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.”

In other Maiden news, they’re extending their 50th anniversary Run For Your Lives World Tour through to October, and frontman Bruce Dickinson recently said, “This whole tour has been such great fun. I really enjoy belting out all these great old songs, and the whole band are loving playing them too!”

Fifty years in, and they’re still going hard. Let’s just hope the doco finds its way to NZ screens sooner rather than later.