Judas Priest have long been a blueprint of heavy metal. Now, a new documentary titled The Ballad Of Judas Priest is set to chronicle the story behind the studs, the screams, and the anthems. Produced by Sony Music Vision in collaboration with Sony Music Entertainment UK and Epic Records, the film explores how a group of working-class musicians from Birmingham, England helped invent and redefine heavy metal.
The film is being co-directed by acclaimed documentarian Sam Dunn and Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, marking Morello’s directorial debut. Together, they aim to present a more intimate, comprehensive portrait of Judas Priest, going beyond familiar hits like “Breaking The Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”.
“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,” said Morello and Dunn. “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. 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.”
From their gritty beginnings to becoming Grammy-winning rock legends, Judas Priest have never been content with following anyone’s rules but their own. Pioneers of the genre, the band has sold more than 50 million records and released 19 studio albums, cementing their place in music history. Their latest, Invincible Shield, dropped in 2024 and not only received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance but also made them the first heavy metal act to release studio albums 50 years apart.
In 2022, they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame — an overdue recognition of their legacy. Now, with the documentary on the horizon and a massive North American co-headlining tour with Alice Cooper set for this fall, the band is proving there’s no slowing down.
As the band themselves put it: “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 film, produced by Banger Films, features a production team stacked with experience and passion for music storytelling. Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen, Rick Krim, Sheila Stepanek, and Jayne Andrews all contribute, with Tom Mackay, Krista Wegener, Abby Davis, and Sylvia Rhone handling executive production responsibilities for the studio side.
Still touring strong, Judas Priest’s current lineup includes iconic vocalist Rob Halford, founding bassist Ian Hill, guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap, and drummer Scott Travis.
