Scorpions are the latest rock band to get the biopic treatment, as the upcoming Wind of Change will tell the story of the German rockers’ rise to stardom and bid for global unity, Deadline reports.
The film takes its name from the 1991 power ballad that became Scorpions’ biggest hit, topping charts around the world and peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lead singer Klaus Meine was inspired to write the song after Scorpions performed to 300,000 people at the 1989 Moscow Music Peace Festival and the band witnessed the shifting sentiments as the Cold War neared its end.
ESX Entertainment has signed on to produce Wind of Change, and Alex Ranarivelo (American Wrestler: The Wizard) will direct. “The Scorpions’ music has penetrated our culture in a big way,” ESX founder and president Ali Afshar said. “There is an evocative quality to their sound that is unmatched in the genre, which is one of the reasons hits like ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’ and ‘Still Loving You’ continue to get so much airplay and fill movie soundtracks, and their music continues to connect with a new generation of fans across the globe.”
Afshar continued: “When my family fled Iran and came to the United States, the Scorpions’ music changed my life – if not saved it. I’m hoping that by telling the Scorpions’ story, we can bring some of that same inspiration to the world.”
READ MORE: Scorpions Share the Story Behind ‘Wind of Change’
Scorpions Biopic Could Coincide With Band’s 60th Anniversary
Wind of Change is slated to begin production in Europe later this year with a planned 2025 release. Next year also marks Scorpions’ 60th anniversary, which the band could commemorate in a big way.
“It’s not a never-ending road. The road will be finished sooner or later; it’s up to you and to our gods,” guitarist Rudolf Schenker told the Tales From the Road podcast in September. “But in 2025, that could be a great time for our 60th anniversary. … So, then, to celebrate 60 years of Scorpions could be a possibility, because I’m in contact with our very old drummer, who was playing on [Scorpions’ 1972 debut album] Lonesome Crow, and the bass player, and use them also onstage to see the different kind of states we went through. Because we are very much connected still in all the different musicians, and that shows, again, when we can make it, that music is always there for making friendships.”
