Disney to chronicle Kaepernick’s story exploring race and social injustice
July 17, 2020
Colin Kaepernick has signed an overall first-look production deal The Walt Disney Company that will start with the pair collaborating on an exclusive docuseries chronicling the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback’s experience with racism and social injustice over the last five years.
The documentary will be the first project in a wide-ranging partnership between the two, featuring featuring extensive new interviews with the American civil rights activist and never-before-seen archive footage.
The broader deal will see Disney and Kaepernick’s production team, Ra Vision Media, create scripted and unscripted shows that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity, a statement said. The collaboration will also showcase the work of black and minority ethnic directors and producers.
In addition, Kaepernick will work closely with The Undefeated, a Disney platform operated by ESPN that explores the intersections of race, sports and culture to develop stories from the perspective of black and brown communities.
“I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate black and brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, and to inspire the youth with compelling and authentic perspectives,” Kaepernick said.
“I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing.”
Platforms include Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar and The Undefeated.
Bob Iger, Disney’s executive chairman, added: “During this unprecedented time, The Walt Disney Company remains committed to creating diverse and inclusive content that resonates and matters. Colin’s 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.”
Kaepernick has been without a National Football League (NFL) team since 2016, when he started the league-wide movement of kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.
Following widespread protests in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police in May, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently admitted that the league was “wrong” for not listening to its players earlier about issues of racism and said he would support and encourage a team interested in signing Kaepernick.