Ronnie James Dio — the influential heavy metal singer who performed in Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell as well as fronting his own eponymous supergroup — will be the subject of a new documentary. Executive produced by BMG and Wendy Dio, the film is the first-ever career-spanning documentary on the artist. Dio died from stomach cancer in 2010 at the age of 67.
Authorized by the artist’s estate, the feature-length documentary is currently in production. Helmed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton, the film will include previously unseen archival footage and photos from the singer’s archives and will feature scenes with friends and family, who will provide insight into his life and career. According to a statement, the documentary is “set against the backdrop of Dio’s unfinished autobiography — half-finished by Ronnie before his untimely death from stomach cancer in 2010 — the film will chronicle the inspiring journey of his life, love, and storied career.”
“I am very excited to be working with BMG on Ronnie’s long-awaited documentary,” Wendy Dio, Ronnie’s manager who was also married to the singer, said in a statement. “Ronnie loved his fans and I hope they will enjoy this trip through Ronnie’s life.”
On March 20th, BMG will reissue Dio’s 1996-2004 studio albums, including Angry Machines, Magica, Killing the Dragon and Master of the Moon. The newly remastered collection has long been out of print on CD and never previously released on vinyl in North America. The reissues will house rare and unreleased bonus tracks culled from in-concert recordings from tours surrounding each album as well as Dio classics spanning his career.