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Film of Black Sabbath farewell to release in 2026

Andrew Dawkins
BBC News, West Midlands
Ross Halfin A man sits on a black throne with a bat motif at the top. He has shoulder-length brown hair and he is wearing black. There is a microphone in front of him. Ross Halfin
Ozzy Osbourne said goodbye to performing with Black Sabbath at the age of 76

A film of the star-studded show that Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath said would be their final gig will be released early next year.

They bade farewell to live performing in Birmingham, supported by a host of legendary music acts in front of 40,000 fans at Villa Park on 5 July.

The group were joined by performers including Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Slayer, with guest appearances from the likes of Ronnie Wood, Steven Tyler and Jack Black.

Back To The Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow, would be a "distilled version" of the all-day event and include exclusive behind-the-scenes access and interviews, a post on Osbourne's X account said.

The concert film would be a celebration of the 76-year-old singer and the legacy of Black Sabbath, the post said, capturing "the raw power and emotional weight of Ozzy's final bow in his hometown".

It said: "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."

A huge sea of people are seen in the stadium, lit up by red lights from the stage
Tickets for the concert sold out well in advance

The legendary frontman, who has Parkinson's disease, sang with his fellow founding fathers of heavy metal while seated on a black throne.

Famous musicians and celebrities sent in video messages that were played at the show - held a stone's throw from Ozzy's childhood home - alongside messages from fans.

"You are one of the most remarkable singers of our time," Sir Elton John told Osbourne in his message.

"Without Sabbath there would be no Metallica," the US group's frontman James Hetfield told the crowd during their set.

Fans travelled from across the world and sported their own rockstar outfits for the farewell - with everything from tattoos to socks bearing Osbourne's name or image.

Ross Halfin A man stands behind a drumkit on a stage and holds his arms up to a large crowd. He is wearing all black and a black baseball cap that is on backwards. Ross Halfin
US metal band Metallica also played at the show

After playing five songs from his solo career, Ozzy was joined by his Black Sabbath bandmates - guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward - for four more, finishing with 1970 classic Paranoid.

The group's final performance raised £140m for charity, according to the event's musical director, Tom Morello.

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