ESPN’s decision to cancel Spike Lee’s documentary series on Colin Kaepernick has sparked discussions about creative control and the portrayal of social justice in sports.
ESPN Cancels Spike Lee’s Colin Kaepernick Documentary Series
ESPN has confirmed it is scrapping Spike Lee’s planned documentary series on ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, stating it’s by mutual agreement with the Oscar-winning filmmaker and Kaepernick.
Creative Differences Behind the Decision
“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick, and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” the sports giant said in a statement provided to Deadline. “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”
Kaepernick’s Career and the Documentary’s Focus
The series was intended to chronicle Kaepernick’s career with the San Francisco 49ers, which ended in 2016 after the quarterback began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice in America. The 49ers indicated they would release Kaepernick at the end of that season; he has been unable to sign with any other team since. In 2019, he reached a confidential settlement with the NFL after filing a grievance that accused the league of colluding to keep him off the field.
As Deadline’s Dominic Patten reported in 2022, Lee was set to produce the QB CK project with ESPN Films through his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. Kaepernick and Atlantic journalist Jemele Hill were also involved in production. Kaepernick hailed the project as part of a larger deal he signed with ESPN-owner Disney, expressing his eagerness to share the docuseries on his life story.
Current Status of the Project
Reuters first reported the demise of the Spike Lee series. The news agency spoke with Lee on the red carpet for an event in Beverly Hills over the weekend, where he confirmed, “It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say.”
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We contacted Lee’s camp, and they stated that the filmmaker won’t be making any further comments on the matter. It remains unclear whether he may attempt to revive the project on a streaming platform or another distribution outlet.
Creative Differences and Broader Implications
Puck’s Matthew Belloni previously reported that the creative differences revolved around the scope of the multi-part series and whether it would focus solely on Kaepernick or expand to include the experiences of other Black athletes in professional sports who have spoken out on social justice issues.
Context of the Cancelation
The revelation of the dropped project is notable, coming less than two weeks after ESPN struck a deal to acquire the NFL Network and other related rights. However, Deadline understands that the decision to abandon the Kaepernick docuseries was made last summer.
This marks the second time this year that a prominent documentary series has been shelved, raising concerns for nonfiction filmmakers.
