Bon Jovi to put career story on film

OMAHA, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi may be telling their story on film soon.

The group has hired Academy Award-winning documentary director Barbara Kopple to come on the road with it for a movie to commemorate Bon Jovi's first 25 years. The tour kicks off Monday in Omaha, Neb.

"I'm guilty of never having had enough film footage or photographs, simply because I kept the doors shut," says group leader Jon Bon Jovi, explaining that the group hired Kopple after an unsuccessful attempt to do a book with biographer David Ritz.

"I realize I'm cheating us and our fans and some people who may not be fans who could be converted from hearing this story. There's been a lot of accomplishments in 25 years. There's a story here ... and it sure is pretty big."

Bon Jovi has sold 120 million albums worldwide since 1982, including more than 3.5 million of 2007's "Lost Highway."

The group's tour is slated to run through July. There's no word yet on when Kopple's documentary will be finished or released.