Entertainment

Dead heavy metal icon Ronnie James Dio to tour as hologram: report

Late heavy metal icon Ronnie James Dio is set to tour again in hologram form, with the Dio Returns world tour kicking off in Helsinki on Nov. 30 and continuing in the U.S. in the spring.

Hologram gives fans 'an opportunity to see him again,' says singer's widow

Late heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, seen at left at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in 2010, is reportedly set to tour again in hologram form. (Chris Pizzello/Associated Press)

Late heavy metal icon Ronnie James Dio is set to tour again in hologram form.

Rolling Stone reports the Dio Returns world tour kicks off in Helsinki on Nov. 30 and continues in the U.S. in the spring.

Dio's casket is displayed during a public memorial in Los Angeles in 2010. (Jason Redmond/Associated Press)

Dio's widow, Wendy, says the hologram "gives the fans that saw Ronnie perform an opportunity to see him again and new fans that never got to see him a chance to see him for the first time."

Dio died of stomach cancer in 2010 at the age of 67.

In addition to his self-titled band, Dio fronted Black Sabbath for a time.

Dio isn't the first dead performer to return to the stage as a hologram. Holograms of Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur and Eazy-E have been showcased in recent years.