Well, this is some disappointing news. In a joint announcement via Reuters, ESPN has decided, alongside Spike Lee and Colin Kaepernick, not to complete the documentary project on the famed San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who saw sports and media industry backlash for his activist positions against police racism/brutality against the black community and his taking a knee during the national anthem in protest.
“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick, and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences.” Lee added, “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”
Lee recently revealed the parting of ways, but couldn’t expand on the reasoning behind the decision as he had signed a non-disclosure agreement preventing his ability to talk about it. So, let the speculation begin concerning what those “creative differences” (usually a default excuse used when parties can’t come together on ideas and execution) could have been.
Of course, the veteran filmmaker is coming off acclaim for his latest effort “Highest 2 Lowest” starring longtime pal Denzel Washington, and has been talking up his boxing biopic “Save Us, Joe Louis” being a “major priority” after promising his co-writer Budd Schulberg (“On The Waterfront”) on his deathbed he’d get the film made. It would be his first scripted sports film since “He Got Game.”
We’re still waiting to hear from Spike Lee what his next project will be after this recent setback with the Kaepernick documentary, and if he’ll pursue something else sports-related in the documentary space in the future.
Christopher Marc is lead writer at The Playlist and the primary engine behind our daily news coverage. Chris is based in Canada and tracks everything from Marvel and Star Wars developments to arthouse acquisitions and festival buzz with equal enthusiasm and an instinct for the story readers actually want to read.
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