S Poddar
No Escape From Now
A new feature-length documentary about Ozzy Osbourne is in the making, which will be released on Paramount+ later this year. Called No Escape From Now, the documentary offers a personal glimpse of the iconic rock legend’s life, with emphasis placed on the health battles that he has endured since a life-changing tumble in 2019, after which he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Characterized as an unflinching and intensely personal portrait of one of the most iconic figures in rock history, the documentary chronicles the dark times that have rocked Ozzy’s life in the last six years. It reveals how his ordeals compelled him to face his mortality, question his very identity, and wonder if he’d ever set foot on stage again. Through it all, music is still his anchor, and his classic sense of humor still breaks through.
Under the direction of BAFTA-winning filmmaker Tania Alexander, production got underway in 2022 alongside the recording of Ozzy’s album Patient Number 9. The film provides unprecedented access to Ozzy, his wife Sharon, and their family and gives an insight into his everyday life and continued fight to return to the stage. Production will resume throughout the summer months with a grand finale of his long-awaited show at Birmingham’s Villa Park with his Black Sabbath bandmates.
Looking back, Ozzy opens up about the mental and physical strain the last several years have placed on him. “The last six years have been some of the toughest I’ve ever encountered. There were times when I really believed my time had come to an end,” he confesses. “But creating music and recording two albums kept me going. If not for music, I would have gone crazy.”
As he stages what might be his last show, Ozzy thanks his loyal followers with great appreciation. “They’ve been with me through everything. I wish to give them a decent farewell, and that is what the Villa Park concert is all about.”
The film includes commentary from fellow artists and close friends, such as Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, Billy Idol, Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, guitarist Zakk Wylde, producer Andrew Watt, and artist Billy Morrison. Their comments bring to life Ozzy’s lasting impact on rock and the unrelenting support he has garnered from the music fraternity.
Sharon Osbourne, who has been handling Ozzy’s career for decades, stresses the sincerity of the film. “This movie tells the true story about what Ozzy has endured in the last few years. It doesn’t make excuses for him—it shows him struggling and how incredibly strong he has been to overcome them.”. Lying with Parkinson’s and other health issues has not been simple, yet Ozzy has battled everything with amazing strength. She wishes the documentary would act as motivation to others fighting similar struggles.
Bruce Gillmer, Paramount President of Music and Paramount+ Chief Content Officer, underlines the intense relationship between Ozzy and the platform. “Ozzy is part of the very DNA of Paramount’s history, from his appearances on Headbanger’s Ball in the ’80s to the The Osbournes reality series. His impact cannot be denied. We knew that we had to be the ones to share this story with the world, and we can’t wait for the fans all over the world to see it.”
With No Escape From Now, Ozzy Osbourne’s story is brought to life in a manner that transcends the music. It is one of adversity, determination, and the indefatigable will of a man who won’t let anything shut him up.
