Being a life-long Iron Maiden fan, I can tell you that I know that the band’s singer, Bruce Dickinson, is capable of anything.

Not only is he undeniably one of the greatest singers in heavy metal, he’s also a trained pilot who flies the band to each of their gigs (Maiden is currently on their “Somewhere Back In Time” tour). He’s also a radio show host, a competitive fencer, and a writer of music, lyrics, and novels. Now, Dickinson is taking on the film world with Chemical Wedding, a supernatural thriller he co-wrote which will make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Julian Doyle, who directed the video for Iron Maiden’s 1988 single “Can I Play with Madness,” will directed the script he co-wrote with Dickinson. Simon Callow stars as Professor Haddo, the reincarnation of occultist Aleister Crowley, who was once described as the most evil man in Britain.

Filming on Chemical Wedding, which will be released in British cinemas this summer, wrapped last September. Reuters has a video interview with Dickinson which includes footage from the movie set. Dickinson also makes a small cameo in the movie and will also do the soundtrack.

Chemical Wedding isn’t Dickinson’s first exploration of Crowley — the song “Revelations” from Iron Maiden’s 1983 masterpiece Piece of Mind (which the band played last night, by the way, at the concert I went to in New Jersey, YES!) is based on Crowley book.

The Chemical Wedding is the name of Dickinson’s 1998 solo album based on the prophecies of William Blake, alchemy, and Rosicrucianism.

[BBC News via Cinematical; poster from MonstersAGoGo]