“A good documentary keeps the viewer locked into every moment, and leaves them disappointed when it finally ends. Dio: Dreamers Never Die is not a good documentary. It is a great one.” So begins the recently-posted review from DailyVault.com of “DIO: Dreamers Never Die,” the first-ever, career-spanning documentary on the life and times of the late legendary metal icon Ronnie James Dio.
The acclaimed film, which world premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, enjoyed a special event theatrical release in more than 600 cinemas worldwide last fall and is streaming on SHOWTIME, will be released worldwide by Mercury Studios on September 29, 2023 on DVD and Blu-Ray+4K and as a special Deluxe Edition featuring the DVD and Blu-Ray packaged with exclusive merchandise.
All of these configurations of the film include a 20-minute selection of deleted and extended scenes restored from the cutting room floor to create a special fan experience, and all are available for pre-order now at https://shop.bandwear.com/dio.
Watch the film trailer HERE.
The limited Deluxe Edition is packaged in a two-piece lift-off lid box containing both the DVD and Blu-Ray versions of the film plus branded DIO merchandise that includes logoed trading cards, guitar picks, lapel pin, coasters and a fold out poster from the film.
Additionally, fans are able to purchase the film along with bundles of exclusive Dreamers Never Die merchandise, including a Limited Edition Screen Print Movie Poster, Dreamers Never Die T-Shirts, Hoodies, Trucker Hats and Beanies, Etched Beer Stein, Mousepad, Tote Bag, Replica of “Dio Way” Street Sign, and Word Magnet set as well as a Raglan Shirt and Dome Pin celebrating Dio’s first band, Elf.
Of the film, Reel News Daily wrote: “This film stunned me from the first frames. I expected to like it, but I never expected to fall madly in love with the film and the man. This is truly one of the best music docs I’ve seen. I can’t recommend this film enough.”
“DIO: Dreamers Never Die” delves deep into the singer’s incredible rise from a ‘50s doo-wop crooner to his early rock days in Elf and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, to replacing Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, and finally cementing his rock star status with his own band, DIO. The film incorporates never-before-seen footage and personal photos, as well as offering intimate scenes with his closest peers, family, and friends, among them Wendy Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Glenn Hughes, Vinny Appice, Lita Ford, Rob Halford, Sebastian Bach, Eddie Trunk, and Jack Black, as they bring viewers inside the life of one of rock and roll’s true heroes and most beloved figures.
Photo by Gene Kirkland
Dio’s widow and longtime manager, Wendy Dio, who executive produced the film, commented: “I wanted this documentary to be authentic, for the fans to see the roller coaster ride that was Ronnie’s life—the good times, the bad times and everything in between, especially including events that even the most diehard fans would not have known about. It’s all in there, right up to the very end.”
In addition to SXSW, the film was showcased at the Hot Docs Festival in Toronto, IFF Boston, DocsLisboa International Film Festival, the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival in Korea, the Athens International Film & Video Festival and Gimme Shelter Film Festival in Athens, Greece. Last October, it won the Audience Award at the In-Edit International Music Documentary Film Festival in Barcelona, Spain.
Fully authorized by the artist’s estate, “DIO: Dreamers Never Die” was directed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton (Framing John DeLorean, Believer, Last Days Here), produced by Don Argott and Sheena Joyce for 9.14 Pictures, and executive produced by Wendy Dio for Niji Productions and Kathy Rivkin Daum for BMG.
Ronnie James Dio, who died of gastric cancer in 2010, reigns as one of the most influential rock artists of all time and one of the greatest vocalists ever. With an illustrious recording career spanning from the 1950’s through to the 2000’s, the documentary follows his trajectory from sideman into singer, songwriter and frontman of not one, but three, of rock’s internationally-renowned, multi-Platinum-selling arena attractions: Rainbow, Black Sabbath and DIO. Famous for popularizing the ‘devil horns’ hand gesture that is now synonymous with hard rock and heavy metal music, Dio was known for not wavering in his pursuit of his rock and roll dreams and continues to influence a new generation of music artists. His fans the world over remember him not only for his massive talent, but for his kindness, resulting in millions of dollars raised for cancer research in his memory via the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund.
Argott and Fenton said, “People who have conviction, talent and heart like Ronnie James Dio are in short supply these days. It is refreshing to share his inspiring story of believing in yourself and chasing your dreams. As life-long DIO fans, it is incredibly humbling to bring Ronnie’s journey to the screen, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences.”
ABOUT MERCURY STUDIOS
Mercury Studios is a full-service production studio originating, producing, selling, distributing, and investing in scripted, unscripted, and live content. Editorially independent, Mercury Studios is powered by Universal Music Group and represents the world’s leading catalogue of music-related content.
Current and recent projects include “If These Walls Could Sing,” the untold story of the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, directed by celebrated British photographer and filmmaker Mary McCartney for Disney+; “This Town,” a six-part series for the BBC from writer, creator and executive producer Steven Knight; “Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop,” a feature documentary from Oscar™-winning director/producer Joseph Patel (“Summer of Soul”), adapted from Vikki Tobak’s best-selling book; “My Life as a Rolling Stone,” a four-part docuseries of intimate portraits of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts; “Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl,” a career documentary about the superstar that is available on Netflix; and “Mars,” a short film based on an original universe and characters created by Yungblud, starring Yasmin Finney, that premiered at the London Film Festival.
Mercury Studios’ “Miles Davis: Birth of The Cool” was recently honored with two Emmys™ for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary and Outstanding Sound. “ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas” also received a 2021 Grammy™ Award nomination for Best Music Film. The feature documentaries are part of the Mercury Studios library, consisting of over 5,000 hours of programming.
Interviews are available with Wendy Dio, Don Argott, Demian Fenton, and additional subjects from the film. For more information, the contacts below.
For film trailer and still photos, visit:
https://mercury-studios.
For pre-orders of “DIO: Dreamers Never Die” DVD, Blu-Ray+4K and merchandise bundles, visit: https://shop.bandwear.com/dio
For more information on Ronnie James Dio and “Dreamers Never Die:
https://www.
https://www.ronniejamesdio.
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