Ronnie James Dio’s ‘Dreamers Never Die’ Details Released

The documentary film Dio: Dreamers Never Die provides a comprehensive look into the life of Ronnie James Dio, a legendary metal icon. It will be released worldwide by Mercury Studios on September 29, 2023, in various formats including DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K.

The special deluxe edition includes exclusive merchandise alongside the film. Deleted and extended scenes, totaling 20 minutes, have been added to enhance the fan experience.

The limited deluxe edition comes in a two-piece box with both DVD and Blu-ray versions of the film. The package also includes a selection of Dio-branded items, including trading cards, guitar picks, a lapel pin, coasters, and a fold-out poster.

Fans can also purchase the film along with exclusive Dreamers Never Die merchandise bundles. These bundles include a limited-edition screen print movie poster, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, beanies, an etched beer stein, a mousepad, a tote bag, a replica of the “Dio Way” street sign, and a word magnet set. A raglan shirt and dome pin are also available that feature the logo of Dio’s first band, Elf.

A Must-See Music Documentary

The documentary had its world premiere at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival and a theatrical release in over 600 cinemas worldwide. It is also available on Showtime. Critics have praised the film, with Reel News Daily saying:

“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.”

Insider Sneak Peek

The documentary covers Dio’s rise from his humble beginnings as a ’50s doo-wop crooner to his rise to fame as a rock legend with bands like Elf, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his own band, Dio. It contains unseen footage, personal photos, and interviews with close friends and peers, giving viewers an intimate look into Dio’s life.

The film was showcased at various film festivals worldwide, including Hot Docs, IFF Boston, and DocsLisboa. The audience at the In-Edit International Music Documentary Film Festival gave the film the Audience Award.

Fully authorized by Ronnie James Dio’s estate, Dio: Dreamers Never Die was directed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton and produced by 9.14 Pictures. Wendy Dio, Ronnie’s widow and longtime manager, served as executive producer.

The documentary captures Dio’s influential career as one of the greatest rock vocalists, known for popularizing the ‘devil horns’ hand gesture in rock and metal music. It also highlights his kindness and charitable efforts, with millions raised for cancer research in his memory through 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 lifelong Dio fans, it is incredibly humbling to bring Ronnie’s journey to the screen, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences.”

Gratitude to Continue the Legacy

During an interview on a radio show Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk in April, Wendy talked about the additional footage that will come with the Dio: Dreamers Never Die DVD and Blu-ray saying:

“The thing was there was so much material that we had, it would have been a five-hour movie. So a lot of the stuff, unfortunately, had to (be) cut out. But there’s different stories — Simon (former DIO drummer) talking about Ronnie, there’s some Jack Black content, there’s some content about me saying some different things.”

She continued:

“There’s some content with Wyn Davis, who was Ronnie’s engineer that’s revealing different things about stuff. There’s lots of interesting stuff that was in there, but we had to cut a lot of stuff out because it just would have been way too long. But now they’re getting to have the bonus stuff, extra stuff that would have been included if we had time.”

Wendy Dio also expressed her satisfaction with the film, wanting fans to learn more about Ronnie and continue appreciating his music and message of following dreams. Despite the bittersweet journey of making the documentary, she believes Ronnie would be proud of it.

During an interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, Wendy was asked about her previous statement regarding her mission to continue Ronnie’s legacy. Wendy answered:

“I just think that Ronnie was always overlooked during the time that he was alive. And after his passing, I just felt that his music was something that he wrote for the fans, he performed for the fans. He loved his fans and that should continue on and carry on. That’s one of the reasons why we did the documentary, was so that people could understand him, understand his life and where he came from and the trials and tribulations he had. He wasn’t an overnight success. He paid his dues, for sure. And also to get his message out there. Ronnie’s message was always, like, follow your heart, follow your dreams (and) don’t give up.”