Def Leppard Announce First Authorized Feature Documentary ‘Long Live Def Leppard’
Def Leppard are set to receive their first authorized full-length documentary, titled Long Live Def Leppard. Bleecker Street’s Crosswalk has slated a North American theatrical release for early 2027, tracing the band’s path from schoolmates in Sheffield, England, to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
Behind the Lens and the Band
The film is directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, known for his work on The Devil and Daniel Johnston and Author: The JT LeRoy Story. According to a press release, the project features “never-before-seen footage and unparalleled access to its members.”
For Feuerzeig, the project is a lifelong passion. The director recalled seeing the band open for Ozzy Osbourne on his first Blizzard of Ozz tour at Asbury Park’s Convention Hall in the summer of 1981, after reading about them in Creem. “These young lads from working-class Sheffield were punching far above their weight and playing for keeps,” Feuerzeig said in a statement. “I was smitten, a fan for life.” He added that the film captures a unique and humorous underdog story that breaks away from typical rock-and-roll tropes.
New Interviews and Major Milestones
Long Live Def Leppard includes brand-new interviews with the group’s five current longtime members: singer Joe Elliott, guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, drummer Rick Allen, and bassist Rick Savage.
Crosswalk’s synopsis highlights the core themes of the documentary, describing the band’s history as an “unbreakable brotherhood” born out of working-class Sheffield. Following massive global success with hit albums like Pyromania and Hysteria, the synopsis notes the group’s resilience through major hardships, including drummer Rick Allen’s life-altering accident that cost him his arm, and the loss of guitarist Steve Clark. These defining moments shaped how the band rebuilt themselves into enduring forces in rock.
Related reading: Connie Burton, Sister of Metallica Icon Cliff Burton Dies at 66, Reflecting on One Year Without Ozzy Osbourne: Tributes, Triumphs, and Controversies
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