Keanu Reeves is swapping the big screen for the mosh pit next summer after being announced for Download Festival 2026.
The John Wick and Matrix actor will perform with his band Dogstar at the UK’s biggest rock and metal event, joining hip-hop heavyweights Cypress Hill and a trio of blockbuster headliners — Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park.
Next year’s festival, set for June 10–14 at Donington Park in Leicestershire, promises a mix of nostalgia and chaos, with over 90 acts confirmed across rock, punk, emo, metal and alternative stages.
Reeves, 60, formed Dogstar in the Nineties alongside drummer Rob Mailhouse and guitarist Bret Domrose, before the band quietly disbanded in 2002. They reunited in 2023 and released Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees, their first album in more than two decades. Download marks the band’s biggest UK festival appearance to date.
Meanwhile, Cypress Hill’s addition gives the bill a different kind of swagger. The Californian group — best known for Insane in the Brain and Rock Superstar — helped bridge rap and rock long before hybrid genres were cool, and their set is likely to be one of the weekend’s most talked-about performances.
The main stage, however, belongs to the headliners.
Limp Bizkit will top the bill for the first time, three decades after they became synonymous with the nu-metal explosion of the early 2000s. Known for hits like Break Stuff, Rollin’ and My Generation, Fred Durst and co are expected to deliver a gloriously unfiltered nostalgia trip.
Guns N’ Roses return to Donington 20 years after their first Download headline slot in 2006. It’s been nearly a decade since Axl Rose last brought the band to the UK festival circuit, and fans will be hoping for a set packed with Appetite for Destruction anthems — and maybe a few less onstage meltdowns than in the early days.
Linkin Park, who last headlined the festival in 2014, will close the weekend. The group reunited in 2024 with new frontwoman Emily Armstrong following the death of original vocalist Chester Bennington. Their performance at Donington will be their first UK festival headline with Armstrong and is expected to be one of the most emotional moments of the summer.
Beyond the top line, the undercard features a wide sweep of rock’s many eras and offshoots: Bad Omens, Trivium, Halestorm, Pendulum, The All-American Rejects, Mastodon, BABYMETAL, Architects, Tom Morello, Feeder, The Pretty Reckless, Bush, Ash, Dinosaur Pile-Up, P.O.D., Hollywood Undead and Those Damn Crows are all confirmed.
The line-up was unveiled during an industry event at London’s Barbican, where festival organisers previewed a short film and new branding for what’s being called DLXXIII — Download’s 23rd edition. While the presentation featured string quartets and theatrical nods to rock mythology, the focus remained firmly on the music.
The announcement follows speculation that Download might scale back after its 20th anniversary celebrations in 2023, but the 2026 line-up suggests the opposite: it’s doubling down on nostalgia while continuing to broaden its sound.
While long-time fans will relish the return of Donington staples like Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park, the inclusion of artists like Dogstar and Cypress Hill reflects the festival’s shift toward something wider — a space where rock’s past and pop culture’s present collide.
Download Festival 2026 takes place June 10–14 at Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets are on sale now via downloadfestival.co.uk
