Sharon Osbourne has defended plans to create an artificial intelligence avatar of her late husband Ozzy Osbourne following strong reactions from fans. The legendary singer died on July 22 of last year at age 78 after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family home in Buckinghamshire, England.
In an interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Sharon Osbourne said the AI avatar was not an idea formed after her husband died, but a subject they had discussed together for about ten years. She denied that the project has financial motives and clarified that she will not use Ozzy Osbourne's image for advertisements or commercial partnerships, adding that fans will not see him advertising weedkillers or beer.
Sharon Osbourne argued that her husband devoted his entire life to creating a unique body of artistic work. She said that since technology allows it, fans should not be limited only to old videos and recordings, noting that no one is required to watch or pay for the project.
OzzFest Return in Birmingham
Sharon Osbourne also confirmed that the historic music festival OzzFest will return in 2027 at Villa Park in Birmingham. The stadium is located near the neighborhood where Ozzy Osbourne grew up, and it previously hosted his farewell concert, titled Back to the Beginning, a few weeks before his death.
She said the festival could potentially expand to two days depending on public interest.
Ozzy Osbourne Biopic Development
Developments are also underway for the anticipated Ozzy Osbourne biopic. Sharon Osbourne revealed that production hired a new screenwriter after the first three drafts failed to reflect the singer's authentic character and voice.
She stated that the new screenwriter achieved the result the family wanted and the script is ready to send to prospective directors. Sharon Osbourne admitted that making a feature film is much more demanding than producing a music album and said she now understands why some movies take decades to finish.
The couple's son, Jack Osbourne, stated last May that the film is not expected to be released before 2028, though he expressed confidence that the project will be completed.
