ESPN has shelved a long-simmering documentary series from Spike Lee on former San Francisco 49ers star Colin Kaepernick.
In February 2022, ESPN Films announced production on the project had gotten underway.
But on Friday, Aug. 15, Lee told Reuters the series titled Da Saga of Colin Kaepernick would no longer be released.
“It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say,” the director said on the red carpet at the Harold and Carole Pump Foundation dinner for cancer research in Beverly Hills.
Related: Black Conservatives Call Colin Kaepernick Netflix Series a ‘Threat’ to Black Men
When the news agency asked Lee why, the Oscar-winning filmmaker said he was barred from discussing the matter because of an NDA.
“I can’t. I signed a nondisclosure. I can’t talk about it,” he said.
ESPN confirmed the series would not move forward.
“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” the outlet told Reuters Saturday. “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”
The news came less than two weeks after the National Football League acquired a 10 percent equity stake in ESPN, with the two sides officially announcing the deal on Aug. 5.
The docuseries was part of the Walt Disney Company’s overall first-look deal with Kaepernick’s production banner Ra Vision Media.
The production agreement included scripted and unscripted content exploring race, social injustice and equality, Disney announced in 2020.
At the time, Kaepernick said one of his goals was to “elevate Black and Brown directors.” The docuseries was the first project to go into production under the deal, which was to include content for ESPN, Hulu, Pixar, and The Undefeated (now called Andscape).
In September 2024, digital media company Puck News reported Kaepernick and Lee were having “heated disagreements” over the nearly-finished docuseries, leading to delays.
The article described the project as “pricey,” and said “ESPN boss Jimmy Pitaro is open to them shopping it elsewhere.”
ESPN Films initially said the series would offer a new perspective on the quarterback’s career by including never-before-seen footage from his personal archive to tell a first-person account from Kaepernick, as Urban Hollywood 411 previously reported.
ESPN Films served as executive producer. Lee’s production company 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks and sports journalist Jemele Hill were producers.
On Feb. 3, 2022, Kaepernick tweeted out news about the series, writing: “I’m grateful to be able to work with the legend Spike Lee on my docu-series. Thank you @jemelehill for being a part of our incredible team. It’s time for the narrative to be corrected.”
The athlete and social justice activist previously partnered with director Ava DuVernay for a six-episode scripted drama series called Colin in Black & White.
The 2021 Netflix series told the story of his childhood as a Black youth adopted into a white family. Jaden Michael played a young Kaepernick and Mary-Louise Parker and Nick Offerman portrayed his adoptive parents Rick and Teresa.
The quarterback became a free agent after he sparked controversy in 2016, by taking a knee during the national anthem at NFL games to protest police brutality and systemic racism. He has not played in the league since that season.
He settled a multi-million dollar lawsuit with the NFL in February 2019, alleging team owners colluded to keep him out of the league.
Lee previously worked with ESPN Films for a 2009 documentary about late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
The director’s latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, was released Friday. The crime drama about a music mogul whose son is kidnapped by a mystery man stars Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright and A$AP Rocky.
Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
