Ozzy Osbourne's final Black Sabbath gig set to be turned into film
Ozzy Osbourne's final gig with his band Black Sabbath is set to be turned into a film. The sold out performance in his beloved hometown of Birmingham saw 42,000 people turn out to watch him live, while another 3 million paid to see a livestream.
As well as the 'Godfather of heavy metal' performing his own hit songs, bands the 76-year-old influenced - like Metallica, Guns N' Roses and members of the Red Hot Chili Pepper's and Blink-182 - also took to the stage in a night hosted by Hollywood actor and metal fan Jason Momoa, who jumped into the mosh pit at one point.
Now, any fans who missed out will be able to see iconic moments from the concert and behind-the-scenes footage in a 100-minute feature film set to be called 'Back to the Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow'.
Set to be released in cinemas in early 2026, a statement said it will be "presented as a love letter to Ozzy and the pioneering sound of Black Sabbath".
It added: "The theatrical release will be a distilled version of the epic all-day event held at Villa Park. Featuring thunderous performances of 'War Pigs,' 'Iron Man,' 'Children of the Grave' and a show-stopping 'Paranoid,' the film promises a deeply personal and electrifying farewell from the godfather of heavy metal with exclusive behind-the-scenes access and interviews from this iconic live performance."
READ MORE: 'I went to Ozzy Osbourne's last gig - it was like watching his wake while he was still alive'
During the iconic performance, which saw Black Sabbath play together for the first time in 20 years, Ozzy - who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2019 - remained seated throughout. The rock legend has also had several spinal surgeries over the past few years following a fall.
But two years on from cancelling his UK and Europe tour Ozzy was back on stage, much to fan's delight. He is also set to detail his health struggles and farewell gig in a separate documentary on Paramount+ called 'No Escape From Now', set to air later this year.
Now he's effectively retired, Ozzy's wife of 42 years Sharon has shared her hopes for a new life where the family don't have to "follow an itinerary" anymore.
The 72-year-old - who shares kids Aimee, 41, Kelly, 40, and 39-year-old Jack with Ozzy - says that after being in the music business for more than 50 years, she's also ready to take a step back from showbiz.
Speaking to Billboard, she said she was "done" with working in the music industry and said: "I've been doing this since I was 15, and I'm done. We just want to live our life and do what we want to do and not have to follow an itinerary anymore."
However, despite it being Ozzy's last show, Black Sabbath could still be back in the future in another form. The band have trademarked their name in virtual reality, which means they could return on stage as holograms.
ABBA have already done a similar thing and used avatars for their London show, Voyage, which has been running since 2022 and features younger versions of themselves.
Black Sabbath filed documents 20 years ago and could do the same. These papers trademark use of "production and presentation of animation and other special effects". A number of other artists have taken similar action and are also set to have their own hologram shows.
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BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Musical heritage 'should be part of Birmingham's tourism'
Birmingham is the home of Black Sabbath and widely regarded as the birthplace of heavy metal - but many have asked whether it gets the recognition it deserves for its rich musical heritage. As well as Sabbath, influential bands like Judas Priest and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) further solidify the city's place in rock history. Since thousands of fans visited for Sabbath's final performance, calls to make the location of the band's first ever gig part of a heritage site, have become should the city's historic roots in heavy metal become part of its official tourism? Birmingham has been championed in recent months in the lead up to Black Sabbath's star-studded final performance on 5 July, which saw 40,000 fans descend upon Villa Park stadium. While in the city, fans visited well known rock shrines like the Crown Pub, on Station Street, where images of the band members have been placed on the building's exterior. Sabbath, which used to be known as Earth, played their first gig at Henry's Blueshouse, which was located upstairs in the journalist Kirsty Bosley told the BBC the city has enough rock memorabilia ready to fill a dedicated museum. "Jim Simpson is still in Birmingham, he's still running Henry's Blueshouse and he's still got in his office in Broad Street with boxes full of memorabilia and leaflets and coverage and newspapers that is ready to go," she pub was built in 1881 and shut in 2014 after it was bought by a Japanese development company. Plans to restore the pub fell apart last year after Birmingham City Council retracted its offer of a loan. The council told the BBC it recognised the cultural significance of Station Street to the Saima Suleman said: "We are committed to working collaboratively with partners, to ensure that any future development reflects Birmingham's identity and supports inclusive growth."The council also wishes to reassure residents that we take seriously our role in protecting the city's heritage, and any proposals will be carefully considered through the proper planning process to balance progress with preservation."Speaking to BBC Radio WM, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker he would like to see Station Street saved, but there was a need "to ensure that any solution is financially robust and sustainable".Ms Boseley added: "It's difficult for me to accept that [anyone] thinks The Crown couldn't just wash its face, even just being a boozer near the busiest train station outside of London."Save Station Street campaigners said The Crown should be the site of "(un)holy pilgrimage".The group said: "The city has been gift-wrapped the most historic grassroots arts street in the UK."Yet most of it is closed down. Boarded up. Under threat. The Crown especially should be the site of (un)holy pilgrimage for every Sabbath fan, Metal Head, Ska Revivalist, Punk and Folkie globally - showcasing the best Brum music, beer, food and creativity." 'World paying attention' Tom Morello, of Rage Against The Machine, was the musical director for the Sabbath event. He told the BBC that the whole world was paying attention to the moment the band's original line-up played together for the first time in 20 years - "not just the heavy metal world".He said: "Black Sabbath is the band that invented heavy metal music, and it is a band that is so meaningful to so many of us, and the DNA of Black Sabbath is everywhere."Those are things that originated in your city. Those are things that originated with Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne."Speaking about the black throne Ozzy performed from during the event, he added: "I'm not sure what happened to it, but hopefully there'll be some Birmingham museum of Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, where it should be in the front and the first thing you see when you walk in." 'Absolute hub' of music UB40's Robin Campbell told BBC Radio WM that he felt Birmingham had not got the recognition it deserved for the music it has produced over the said: "It's been an absolute hub of music, of all types, of all genres - from heavy metal and rock and reggae, but also pop groups - so much music has come out of Birmingham."Black Sabbath's connection to Birmingham has been compared to Liverpool's with The Cannon, who runs guided tours in Liverpool, said the city's musical heritage supported more than 2,300 research by the University of Liverpool in 2016, he said The Beatles' legacy was worth £82m to the city each year."We have got quite a large musical heritage, the same as Birmingham," he if Birmingham could support a similar music heritage economy, he said that Liverpool had largely achieved it without council backing and that most of the city's Beatles tourism was privately added: "It's taken nearly 30, 40 years for Beatles tourism to take off. But when it first opened nobody was interested in visiting it, but it's really taken off." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Ozzy Osbourne sells five of his paintings for huge sum to save endangered chimps
Read on to find out how much the Black Sabbath legend has raised OZZY'S HUGE GIFT Ozzy Osbourne sells five of his paintings for huge sum to save endangered chimps Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OZZY Osbourne has sold five of his paintings — to save endangered chimps. The Black Sabbath frontman created the pictures with the help of the apes in a sanctuary. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 1 Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has sold five of his paintings to save endangered chimps Credit: getty One painting called Paranoid, which he made with chimp Janice at the Florida Save the Chimps centre, fetched £13,820. He also collaborated with three other chimps, Kramer, Sable and Sophie on, on the acrylic on canvas works. The five pictures raised a total of £54,040. They were sold by Omega Auctions in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside. Ozzy, 76, who once bit the head off a bat at a concert in 1982, said: 'I paint because it gives me peace of mind. "But I don't sell my paintings. 'I've made an exception with these collaborations as it raises money for Save the Chimps, a sanctuary for apes rescued from labs, roadside zoos and wildlife traffickers.' Save the Chimps provides refuge and lifetime care to hundreds of chimpanzees. The apes receive top-notch veterinary care, nutritious meals, and a variety of social enrichments - including painting.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Ozzy Osbourne sells five of his paintings for huge sum to save endangered chimps
OZZY Osbourne has sold five of his paintings — to save endangered chimps. The Black Sabbath frontman created the pictures with the help of the apes in a sanctuary. 1 One painting called Paranoid, which he made with chimp Janice at the Florida Save the Chimps centre, fetched £13,820. He also collaborated with three other chimps, Kramer, Sable and Sophie on, on the acrylic on canvas works. The five pictures raised a total of £54,040. They were sold by Omega Auctions in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside. Ozzy, 76, who once bit the head off a bat at a concert in 1982, said: 'I paint because it gives me peace of mind. "But I don't sell my paintings. 'I've made an exception with these collaborations as it raises money for Save the Chimps, a sanctuary for apes rescued from labs, roadside zoos and wildlife traffickers.' Save the Chimps provides refuge and lifetime care to hundreds of chimpanzees. The apes receive top-notch veterinary care, nutritious meals, and a variety of social enrichments - including painting.
