Earth, Wind & Fire’s story is getting a full documentary treatment with a new HBO film directed and produced by Questlove. In the announcement for the project, the network said Earth, Wind & Fire: To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World debuts June 7 and will also stream on HBO Max.
The film looks at the band’s rise through the vision of founder Maurice White, tracing how Earth, Wind & Fire built a sound that moved across soul, funk, R&B, jazz, disco and pop. Its official synopsis says the documentary uses the group’s visual, audio and written archives, including previously unseen material, along with interviews with band members, family, collaborators and fans.
The documentary also explores the spiritual and philosophical ideas behind White’s work, as well as the theatrical live shows that helped make the band a major cultural force. Songs like September, Shining Star and Boogie Wonderland remain part of the group’s wider legacy.