Do you remember? Questlove sure does. The “Summer of Soul” director and The Roots drummer has been tapped to direct the definitive documentary on Earth, Wind & Fire for release in 2025.
The news of the Earth, Wind & Fire documentary was announced, fittingly, on the 21st of September, in honor of the band’s all-timer hit “September.” Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson also teased the project as a new “Questlove Jawn” on his socials for a 2025 release.
Earth, Wind & Fire is an iconic soul and R&B group that transcended genre. Now, their documentary is the latest in a string of premium celebrity profile docs that have dominated the non-fiction marketplace in recent years.
The Earth, Wind & Fire documentary does not have a title just yet, but Fifth Season is handling financing and sales of the feature film, alongside WME.
Director Questlove will explore Earth, Wind & Fire’s “lasting legacy, their cultural impact, and enduring body of work” in the film, according to a press statement. Visual, audio, and archival material will be included in the documentary, which is made with the support of the estate of late band leader Maurice White and the rest of the band.
The film intends to focus on the group’s early days in Chicago before releasing mega-hits like “September,” “Reasons,” and “Shining Star.” The documentary will chart how Earth, Wind & Fire blended musical genres, which led to them often being cast as industry outsiders early in their career. Late singer Maurice White founded the group in 1969; White died in 2016.
Like Questlove’s Academy Award-winning “Summer of Soul,” the film is expected to highlight Earth, Wind & Fire’s impact as a form of “therapy to uplift the Black community, shield it from an unfair and uncertain world, weaving its art with themes of Afrofuturism, empowerment, and religious and spiritual guidance,” according to the announcement release.
“Having been baptized in the Afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us and more importantly, I’ve learned and rediscovered myself in the process,” director Questlove said in a statement. “I’m so excited to be part of the process of preserving their positive but VERY vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle.”
Earth, Wind & Fire band members Philip Bailey, Verdine White, and Ralph Johnson said in a joint statement, “We look forward to this in-depth journey of our band, and are so excited to have Questlove directing the documentary.”
Earth, Wind & Fire has sold more than 90 million records, had 11 consecutive albums go gold or platinum, and has won six Grammys.
Questlove, RadicalMedia’s Dave Sirulnick and Samantha Grogin, as well as Broken Halo Entertainment’s KB White (who is the son of late band leader White) and Arron Saxe of Kinfolk Management + Media, will serve as the film’s producers, which will be produced in association with Sony Music Vision. Zarah Zohlman and Shawn Gee of Two One Five Entertainment, the production company founded by Questlove and Black Thought, will serve as executive producers. Jon Kamen of RadicalMedia will also EP, as will Cheo Hodari Coker and Amos Newman.
Fifth Season’s Mary Lisio, EVP of Non-Scripted Development & Production, said, “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to give audiences unfettered access to one of the most successful and culturally meaningful music groups in history. With the exceptionally talented Questlove at the helm, empowered by Fifth Season’s strong track record in the music documentary space and the production capabilities of our producing partners, we have tremendous confidence this will be a captivating exploration of the groundbreaking group and its rise to global superstardom.”
“Earth, Wind & Fire’s impact has been at the heart of popular culture around the globe for decades. We are beyond thrilled to be collaborating for the fourth time with the brilliant mind of Questlove who couldn’t be more perfect for telling this definitive story, as well as the powerhouse teams at Fifth Season, Two One Five, Broken Halo, and Kinfolk Management + Media,” Dave Sirulnick, President of Entertainment at RadicalMedia, said. “We have many thanks to give, however this project wouldn’t be possible without the trust and partnership of KB White and Arron Saxe, for whom we have the utmost respect.”
Questlove’s “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature as it unearthed footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and tied that moment to the larger civil rights upheaval in the country. Questlove is also working on a documentary about Sly & The Family Stone. In addition to music docs, Questlove has been an executive producer on films like “The League” and “Descendant.”
Fifth Season has also worked on music docuseries like “McCartney 3, 2, 1” and “Kiss the Future.”
Questlove is represented by WME and Shawn Gee.