A rock-loving Hollywood A-lister leads the charge of big names paying tribute to heavy metal legends Iron Maiden in the first trailer for much-anticipated new documentary Burning Ambition, which dropped Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
A clearly thrilled Javier Bardem joins Public Enemy rapper Chuck D along with a host of other superfans who seem more obvious fits for a metal doco: Lars Ulrich of Metallica, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, Gene Simmons of Kiss and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cGods of metal\u201d, says Bardem, grinning broadly and gesticulating as he sports a T-shirt featuring the Brit veterans\u2019 late-80s banger Can I Play With Madness.<\/p>\n
Bardem has described himself as a massive metalhead in the past, revealing he uses the music to psyc himself up.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Escobar (in the movie Loving Pablo, about the drug lord) I played a lot of heavy metal for the scenes where I have to be aggressive,\u201d he told Golden Gobes in 2018. \u201cBut it also relaxes me.\u201d <\/p>\n
Bardem also paid special tribute to Maiden\u2019s drummer, who has stepped back from live duties due to health concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love drums, so of course, Lars Ulrich and Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden, they are amazing drummers … I had a chance actually to meet Iron Maiden in Spain and I was like a teenager with New Kids on the Block. I was like ohhhh!\u201d<\/p>\n
The agonising late-2024 decision around fan favourite McBrain, just after Maiden last played in Australia, is among several huge hurdles the band have had to cross in their 50-year career.<\/p>\n
The trailer makes it clear the warts-and-all movie will address the band\u2019s troubles as well as their extraordinary successes: starting with the decision to dump initial singer Paul Dianno after two albums for the popular Bruce Dickinson – and the latter\u2019s own call to quit in the early 1990s, which caused rancour with some bandmates.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought of packing it in completely … the press were saying \u2018Maiden are dead, we have grunge\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trailer also notes Dickinson\u2019s cancer battle and his early struggles to fit in with steely Maiden founder and main man, bassist Steve Harris \u2013 including a reference to a \u201cfist fight\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSteve had this vision. If you interfered with that vision, you were not going to stay with the band.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dickinson later rejoined the band, along with guitarist Adrian Smith, for arguably the most successful phase in their career yet, which has lasted from 1999 to the present. Maiden are currently on the Run For Your Lives tour, which will come Down Under later this year. <\/p>\n
The movie, out on May 7 in cinemas, follows last year\u2019s Maiden biography and features previously unseen historic footage and new interviews. It was made with input from the current lineup, plus past members \u2013 including an inteview with Di\u2019Anno before his death in 2024 \u2013 as well as crew and management, and a legion of \u2018ordinary\u2019 fans united from very different walks of life by their love of all things Maiden and its legendary mascot, Eddie.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis group created its own universe,\u201d says an admiring Chuck D in the trailer. <\/p>\n
Few fans \u2013 or even foes \u2013 would disagree. And if they do … they can explain themselves to Eddie.<\/p>\n