Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition

2026 1h 45m EN

🤯

8.5

MASTERPIECE

★8.5TMDB · 76

DocumentaryMusic

Synopsis

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With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the world’s biggest stadiums. Featuring exclusive interviews with band members and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, as well as all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot, Eddie, the film offers a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Steve Harris
Self
Bruce Dickinson
Self
Nicko McBrain
Self
Adrian Smith
Self
Dave Murray
Self
Janick Gers
Self
Blaze Bayley
Self
Rod Smallwood
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Malcolm Venville
Writers: David Teague
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Malcolm Venville, shot by Matthew Gormly. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by H. Scott Salinas. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jules Cornell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson and Nicko McBrain carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt36163614 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 76 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Malcolm Venville directs. Matthew Gormly behind the camera. H. Scott Salinas scores. Jules Cornell cuts. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.
2International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
3Directed by Malcolm Venville, shot by Matthew Gormly. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by H. Scott Salinas. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Jules Cornell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson and Nicko McBrain carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt36163614 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 76 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Matthew Gormly
Original score: H. Scott Salinas
Editing: Jules Cornell
Sound: Gary Kelly
Runtime: 105 min · 1h 45m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $2,547,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)

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Malcolm Venville

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-05-10
★ 7/10
With over forty albums released and more than 150 million copies of those sold across their half century of making music, Iron Maiden look like they are finally having to come to terms with their age and begin to wind down. This retrospective takes us back to the very beginning, playing from the back of their van to pubs in the English Midlands and thence onwards through ever-larger venues and, thanks to the omnipresence of the menacingly skeletal "Ed" on their album sleeves, to international stardom. Using a comprehensive collection of stadium and personal archive, this puts a lot of meat onto the bones of their story - and it does it warts and all. This isn't a band for whom it's been plain sailing and though they don't exactly dwell on the issues that have dogged them at times, they don't shy away from talking about Paul Di'Anno's departure, nor of Bruce Dickinson's not always harmonious relationship with Steve Harris nor of the stresses and strains that have followed a band who quite literally lurched from tour to studio to tour to studio - and that has clearly taken it's toll on their health, well-being and on their relationships both inside and outside the group. This also introduces us to some of their loyal cohort of fans - from the likes of Javier Bardem and some established music journos to a wide variety of supporters for whom this band have offered a lifeline from just about everything (including 9/11). There is something earthy about this film; it isn't remotely stylised and there are few gimmicks employed to distract us from these men who are as addicted to the stage as they could ever be to anything else, and there is also something engaging about their degree of camera-shyness too. They don't come across as people who want to play the media, nor even who particularly like the media. Their contributions to camera are fairly thin on the ground but there is still plenty of specially recorded audio to help carry us along the peaks and troughs of these musicians who have been amongst the most successful in not just their own genre, but in occasionally crossing over into the mainstream too. I did wonder why they didn't get Vincent Price to become the voice of "Ed" - that'd have been the icing on a cake that combines music with political controversy; booze, cocaine and even some devil worship as they defy the odds and make it into their seventies! As a chronology it works well not just about this band, but about musical tastes across the years, too, and you don't need to be an headbanger to enjoy this.

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