Judas Priest are set to be immortalised in a groundbreaking documentary co-directed by Tom Morello.
The film, titled The Ballad of Judas Priest, will mark Morello’s directorial debut alongside co-director Sam Dunn. Set for release later this year through Sony Music Vision, the documentary aims to provide an unprecedented look into the five-decade journey of the heavy metal pioneers.
“We have lived and breathed metal for over five decades, and finally in this documentary we are summoning our congregation to officially witness our lives uncensored, in a never-before-seen way… the cassock comes off, revealing Priest in all its metal glory,” the band declared in a joint statement.
The doc will chronicle the band’s remarkable ascent from their origins in Birmingham, England, to their eventual induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It presents a comprehensive exploration of their influential career that has shaped the landscape of heavy metal since the 1970s.
With the release of Invincible Shield in 2024, Judas Priest achieved a remarkable milestone as the first metal act to release albums spanning 50 years, following their debut LP Rocka Rolla from 1974. Throughout their illustrious career, the band have produced an impressive catalogue of 19 studio albums.
Morello and Dunn expressed their enthusiasm for the project, stating, “While some may know Judas Priest for their huge hits that have shaped the heavy-metal genre, there is so much more to their story. Tracing their incredible 50-year journey, this film will capture how Judas Priest both defined the sound and look of metal, but also made it a more inclusive place along the way.”
The directors added, “We are grateful to the band for allowing us such intimate, unfiltered access to their lives and look forward to bringing this film to the metal masses around the world.”
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The documentary’s title pays homage to Bob Dylan’s “The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest”, which initially inspired the band’s name. This comprehensive film promises to deliver an authentic, behind-the-scenes portrayal of one of metal’s most enduring and influential acts.
