William Shatner is not done surprising people. The 95-year-old Star Trek icon has confirmed that he wants to perform his upcoming heavy metal album in concert, turning what could have been a one-off studio curiosity into something much bigger. According to Planet Rock’s Rayo report, Shatner’s as-yet-untitled metal record is due later in 2026 through Cleopatra Records, and he is already thinking about how to bring it to life onstage.
The project is stacked with heavy-hitting names from across rock and metal. So far, the album includes contributions from Rob Halford, Dave Lombardo, Zakk Wylde, Ritchie Blackmore, Edgar Froese, Wayne Kramer, Henry Rollins, John Moyer, and now Mikkey Dee, who will play drums on an “explosive” version of Judas Priest’s “Living After Midnight.” Shatner said he needed “pounding beats” because, in his words, the drums create “urgency,” “excitement,” and “danger.”
That line matters, because this is not being framed as a joke record. Cleopatra describes the proposed live version as “part concert, part theatrical experience,” built around storytelling, cinematic visuals, and a live metal band. The label says the goal is to turn Shatner’s recording project into an immersive show that combines heavy music with the larger-than-life personality he has built across film, television, spoken word, and music.
The live idea is still in the discussion stage, but the ambition is obvious. Cleopatra says early conversations point toward a multimedia event that would pair Shatner’s voice and dramatic delivery with “the raw power of a live metal band,” and the label goes so far as to call it a potential “once-in-a-lifetime event.” That is a bold claim, but Shatner’s career has been full of oddball moves that somehow end up feeling strangely inevitable.
The album itself also keeps widening. Rayo reported that the tracklist is being built with names that span generations and styles, while Shatner continues to lean into heavy music with total seriousness. Dave Lombardo, for one, said it was “a true privilege” to contribute and praised Shatner for pushing boundaries “into orbit.”
What makes this especially interesting is the contrast between the scale of the guest list and the age of the man at the center of it. At 95, Shatner is not doing a nostalgia lap. He is trying to make a heavy metal statement, and the reports around this project suggest he wants the final product to feel cinematic, theatrical, and loud enough to stand on its own.
If the live concert happens, it could become one of the more unpredictable rock events of the year. A spoken-word sci-fi legend fronting a star-studded metal production is the kind of idea that sounds impossible until Shatner makes it sound normal.
