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Queen, one of the world's greatest rock bands,
held their first stadium rock concert by a Western artist, 'Queen: Budapest' (vinyl record), in 1986, behind the Iron Curtain.

In this year of major anniversaries—the 80th anniversary of Freddie Mercury's birth, the 55th anniversary of the band's formation, and the 40th anniversary of the Magic Tour (the last tour with all four original Queen members)—Queen's final live performance film, "QUEEN BUDAPEST," is being released. "QUEEN BUDAPEST" is a legendary concert film that documented the first stadium rock concert by a Western artist, held on July 27, 1986, during the Cold War, on the other side of the "Iron Curtain" during the Magic Tour. This film is the first official project with Queen produced by Sony Music Visions, and marks the beginning of a formal partnership between Sony Music and Queen regarding their catalog works. It will be released in theaters and IMAX® worldwide from October 7th.

"QUEEN BUDAPEST" is being released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of this landmark performance in the band's history. Based on the original 35mm film shot using 17 cameras, the film has been meticulously restored in 4K by Peter Jackson's (director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy) Park Road Post Productions (New Zealand). Furthermore, the original multi-track audio has been newly remixed, creating the most immersive live experience to date. Recorded

on July 27, 1986, this performance took place at the Nepstadion in Budapest as part of The Magic Tour. At the time, Queen was the first Western rock band to perform on the other side of the "Iron Curtain," a period of great cultural and political upheaval. All 80,000 tickets were sold out. Outside the venue, nearly 45,000 people without tickets listened to the performance, some of whom had traveled from as far away as Russia and Poland. The performance was captured on 35mm film by 17 leading Hungarian cameramen. Seventeen cameras were used, along with all the film footage available in Hungary at the time—25 miles (approximately 40 km) worth. This project, realized with the full approval of the Hungarian government, was an extremely unusual undertaking for a communist country at the time.

Though unimaginable at the time of such a successful performance, Queen only performed five more shows afterward. Less than two weeks later, on August 9, 1986, their final performance at Knebworth Park in England marked the end of Freddie Mercury's touring career.

'QUEEN BUDAPEST' ​​is the last live video of Queen with Freddie Mercury, capturing them at their peak as a live band. In addition to their signature songs such as "We Will Rock You," "We Are The Champions," "A Kind of Magic," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "Under Pressure," "Who Wants To Live Forever," "Hammer To Fall," and "Bohemian Rhapsody," the album also includes an acoustic performance of the Hungarian folk song "Tavaszi Szel Vizet Araszt (Spring Wind)."

In December 1986, an edited version of this album was broadcast in communist countries including China, Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Yugoslavia, and Mongolia. On New Year's Day 1987, it was screened in 59 cinemas across Hungary, a first for a Western rock act. For Brian May and Roger Taylor, the Budapest concert held a much deeper meaning than just being one show on a large tour.

Brian May:
"For years, fans on the other side of the 'Iron Curtain' could only listen to Queen's music on illegal cassette tapes. They weren't allowed to listen to rock bands like us, so seeing Queen live was unimaginable. This concert, where they finally got to see us perform live and share the same space, was a heartwarming moment for them, and for us too. The energy that filled the venue spoke volumes about how significant it was. I don't think I'll ever experience anything like it again. What I'll never forget is when Freddie and I played that beautiful Hungarian folk song that we learned for that day. Everyone was in tears."

"Thanks to the incredible restoration work by Peter Jackson's team, the original footage has been revived in the highest resolution ever. The image is astonishingly clear, and the quality is breathtaking. I'm sure everyone will love it. We were also able to restore the sound to the highest standard. This is the definitive version that allows you to experience Queen's heyday live performance more realistically than ever before. I hope you will enjoy it in IMAX or at a movie theater. You will experience such immersion that you will forget you are watching a movie."

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Roger Taylor:
"We believed that music could overcome politics and the walls that politics creates, and one of the band's philosophies was to make the audience feel like they were part of the live performance. Freddie had written the pronunciation of the lyrics on his palm so that he could sing folk songs for this day. But the whole venue spontaneously started singing along, and at that moment, we realized just how powerful music can be."

"Queen: Budapest is a work that documents a historical moment in both music history and cultural history," says Tom Mackay, president of Sony Music Vision. "This is not only a breathtaking performance, but also a moving documentary of how the band and audience became one, overcoming the barriers that existed at the time. This restoration will allow today's audiences to experience that historic moment with a sense of realism as if they were actually there."

Peter Jackson also commented: "As longtime Queen fans, we at Park Road Post were thrilled to have the opportunity to restore the Budapest concert footage. It is a great honor to breathe new life into a moment that shines brightly in music history. We look forward to new audiences reliving the original Queen's final live performance captured on video. They will rock you!!!"

Queen: Budapest will be newly remixed from the original multi-tracks by Queen's studio team and will be released for the first time as a 3-LP vinyl set.