Yes, you read that right. Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson will star in a new horror-comedy titled Bjorn of the Dead. Deadline is reporting that the film centers around an ABBA tribute band who find themselves, along with various other tribute acts, trapped in a nightclub at the start of the apocalypse. Bjorn and his band must work together to save themselves, humanity, and the future of music.
That sounds absolutely wild and awesome, and as a gigantic Iron Maiden fan, I’m in.
The film comes from director Elza Kephart and was written by Austin Dickinson, Bruce’s son. It’s based on an original story by Andrew Prendergast and Austin Dickinson. In addition to Bruce, the film will have various cameos from the world of hard rock and heavy metal.
Here’s the full synopsis of Bjorn of the Dead.
Bjorn, lead singer in Abbatoir, and his band mates Benny, Anni-Frid, and Agnetha spend their weekends covering Abba classics at a variety of increasingly depressing venues, from old folks’ homes to empty pub back rooms. It’s a grind and the band is ready to call it a day when Benny, the band’s oldest and most needy member, hears of a Battle Of The Bands competition for tribute bands at The Niney Dimey.
As the band arrives to load in their gear, things begin to go awry rather quickly. A disturbance in the main room of the venue rapidly gets out of control forcing Bjorn and his band to take cover backstage. Some of the other bands are injured from the fracas outside, injuries which soon present a problem when the wounded begin to metamorphose into bloodthirsty undead.
Prendergast had this to say:
‘We are thrilled to be making this blood-drenched gore fest from Austin’s super funny, terrifying, cautionary tale about the inner workings of the music industry.’
Here’s what Austin Dickinson had to say about the upcoming film.
“I’m absolutely honored to be working with Raven Banner on this crazy adventure. Andrew, Elza, and myself can’t wait for you guys to see what’s in store. Get your spandex on, preen your wigs, and sharpen your axes. Bjorn is coming.”
There’s no word on a release date or filming schedule, but Bruce Dickinson has a pretty busy 2024 coming up with solo tour dates, a solo album release, and a US tour with Iron Maiden.
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Source: Deadline