Iommi says new Black Sabbath farewell film is hard to watch

Tony Iommi has said he finds a new film about Black Sabbath's farewell concert in Birmingham difficult to watch, because of the emotion of seeing the band together for the last time.

The film, which documents the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park in July 2025, is due to be released this month.

"Difficult to watch"

"I find it difficult to watch it, to be honest, because obviously of our relationship with each other," the guitarist said. He said he had only watched it twice and that it would be emotional for fans.

"I'm sure people will like it," he added.

The final concert

Back to the Beginning brought the original Black Sabbath line-up of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward together on stage for the first time in 20 years, at Villa Park on 5 July 2025. The concert, a short walk from Aston where the band was formed in 1968, also featured performances by many of the biggest names in rock and metal, and raised millions of pounds for charities.

Osbourne, who had Parkinson's disease and had undergone several operations after a fall, performed seated on a throne. He died just over two weeks later, aged 76.

A city in mourning

After Osbourne's death, thousands of fans lined Broad Street for his funeral procession, which paused at the Black Sabbath Bridge, where fans had left flowers and messages. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery's exhibition about his life, Working Class Hero, was extended because of public demand and closed last weekend before going on a world tour.

Honours

Iommi has been appointed MBE, and he said Osbourne would have been pleased about the honour.

A new album

Iommi's solo album From the Dark is also due out in October. He recently took part in a sold-out evening at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire that raised more than 15,000 pounds for a scholarship for young Birmingham musicians.

Black Sabbath's legacy

Black Sabbath released their first album in 1970 and are widely credited with creating heavy metal, with a dark, heavy sound that influenced generations of bands. They have sold tens of millions of albums and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

The band's connection with Birmingham has been celebrated in recent years with the Black Sabbath Bridge and bench on Broad Street, a place on the Birmingham Walk of Stars and a mural in the city.

Concert films

Concert films have become a popular way for fans to relive major events, with many shown in cinemas before being released on streaming services. Fans in Birmingham are likely to be keen to see the film, given the concert's special place in the city's history.

Where to watch

Details of screenings and release dates are expected to be announced by the film's distributors. Fans should check local cinemas, including those in the city centre and at the Mailbox, for listings.

Friends since childhood

Iommi and Osbourne first met as teenagers in Aston, and their partnership lasted, with breaks, for more than half a century. They fell out at times over the years, as many bandmates do, but were reconciled and toured together as Black Sabbath until the band's first farewell tour, The End, which finished in Birmingham in 2017.