Colin Kaepernick’s trip from San Francisco 49ers quarterback to civil rights activist will be narrated in a documentary series developed by ESPN Films as part of a first-look deal between Walt Disney and the Ra Vision Media production company of Kapernick .
Under the terms of the pact, announced Monday, Disney and Ra Vision will emphasize hyphenated and unscripted stories dealing with race, social injustice, and the pursuit of equity, and working to showcase directors and producers of color. Disney said the deal would be extended through its units, including Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar and The Undefeated, an ESPN venue that focuses on race issues in sports. Kaepernick is slated to work closely with The Undefeated, which Disney said would expand its portfolio across the company.
“I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney on all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, and inspire young people with compelling and authentic perspectives,” Kaepernick said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to sharing the docuseries about my life story, as well as many other culturally impactful projects that we are developing.”
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The new series will utilize new interviews as well as never-before-seen footage that documents the most recent years of Kapernick’s life. The athlete has recruited Jemele Hill, the journalist who previously worked for ESPN and The Undefeated, as the project’s producer. ESPN executives Libby Geist, Kevin Merida and Connor Schell will serve as executive producers on the project for ESPN. More details will be revealed at a later date, Disney said.
The pact could highlight what may evolve toward a growing emphasis on telling more stories about people and communities that have been underrepresented in American popular culture. While television networks and film studios have produced many works on black and Latino characters and stories, they can range from FX’s “Atlanta” to Netflix’s “Dear White People”, such projects have not rendered most of the content. Protests over the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police earlier this year have sparked new conversations across the country about how people from different communities treat each other, and the media sector, like other industries, it has begun to fight back.
“Colin has had a unique path as an athlete and activist, and as the nation continues to face racism and social injustice, it feels particularly relevant to hear Colin’s voice on his evolution and motivations,” said Jimmy Piatro, president of ESPN.
The Undefeated intends to partner with Kaepernick to “elevate important stories from lives that are often not seen and deliver them to a large audience at The Walt Disney Company,” said Kevin Merida, senior vice president and editor-in-chief. “We want to continue to draw attention to the issues of racial injustice that the United States is struggling with, and to do so in new and compelling ways.”
Disney feels the Kaepernick experience “gives him a unique perspective on the intersection of sports, culture, and race, which will undoubtedly create compelling stories that will educate, enlighten, and entertain, and we look forward to working with him on this important collaboration.” Bob said. Iger, chief executive of Disney.
