Questlove to Direct Earth, Wind & Fire Documentary

Remember? Questlove does. The “Summer of Soul” director and Roots drummer has been tapped to direct the definitive Earth, Wind & Fire documentary, set for release in 2025.

News of the Earth, Wind & Fire documentary was announced, fittingly, on September 21, in honor of the band’s hit single, “September.” Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson also teased the project as a new “Questlove Jawn” on his social media for a 2025 release.

Earth, Wind & Fire are an iconic soul and R&B band that have transcended genres. Now, their documentary is the latest in a series of celebrity documentaries that have dominated the nonfiction market in recent years.

The Earth, Wind & Fire documentary is not yet titled, but Fifth Season is handling financing and sales for the feature, alongside WME.

According to a press release, director Questlove will explore the “enduring legacy, cultural impact and lasting work” of Earth, Wind & Fire in the film. Visual, audio and archival elements will be included in the documentary, which is being made with the support of the estate of the late frontman Maurice White and the rest of the band.

The film focuses on the band’s early days in Chicago before they released mega-hits like “September,” “Reasons” and “Shining Star.” The documentary will show how Earth, Wind & Fire blended musical genres, leading them to often be seen as industry outsiders early in their careers. The late lead singer Maurice White founded the band in 1969; White passed away in 2016.

Like Questlove’s Oscar-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, protecting them from an unjust and uncertain world, by weaving its art with themes of Afrofuturism, empowerment, and religious and spiritual guidance,” according to the press release.

“Having been baptized into the Afrocentric river of joy of this powerful unit, I have gotten to know them, gotten to know us, and most importantly, learned and rediscovered myself in the process,” director Questlove said in a statement. “I am so happy to be a part of the process of preserving their positive yet VERY vulnerable and real story of soul, self, and struggle.”

Earth, Wind & Fire band members Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson said in a joint statement: “We are looking forward to this in-depth journey of our band and are thrilled to have Questlove direct the documentary.”

Earth, Wind & Fire has sold over 90 million records, had 11 consecutive albums certified gold or platinum, and won six Grammy Awards.

Questlove, Dave Sirulnick and Samantha Grogin of RadicalMedia, along with KB White of Broken Halo Entertainment (son of the late frontman White) and Arron Saxe of Kinfolk Management + Media, will serve as producers on the film, 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 serve as executive producers, as will Cheo Hodari Coker and Amos Newman.

Mary Lisio, Fifth Season’s Executive Vice President of Unscripted Development and Production, said, “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to give audiences unlimited access to one of the most celebrated and culturally significant music groups in history. With the talented Questlove at the helm, bolstered by Fifth Season’s strong track record in music documentaries and the production capabilities of our producing partners, we are extremely confident that this will be a captivating exploration of this groundbreaking group and their rise to global stardom.”

“The impact of Earth, Wind & Fire has been at the heart of popular culture around the world for decades. We are beyond thrilled to be collaborating for a fourth time with the brilliant minds of Questlove, who couldn’t be more perfect to tell this definitive story, as well as the powerhouse teams at Fifth Season, Two One Five, Broken Halo and Kinfolk Management + Media,” said Dave Sirulnick, President of Entertainment at RadicalMedia. “While we have many thanks to give, this project would not have been possible without the trust and partnership of KB White and Arron Saxe, for whom we have the utmost respect.”

Questlove’s film “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” won the Academy Award for best documentary feature because it unearthed footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and tied that moment to the country’s civil rights uprising. Questlove is also working on a documentary about Sly & The Family Stone. In addition to music documentaries, Questlove has served as executive producer on films such as “The League” and “Descendant.”

Fifth Season has also worked on music docuseries such as “McCartney 3, 2, 1” and “Kiss the Future.”

Questlove is represented by WME and Shawn Gee.