ESPN Scraps Spike Lee's Docuseries on Colin Kaepernick

ESPN has officially decided to part ways with its highly anticipated docuseries on Colin Kaepernick, a project that was being directed by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee. The network released a joint statement with Kaepernick and Lee, citing “creative differences” as the official reason for the decision.

The project, which was initially announced in 2020 and began production in 2022, was set to be a multi-part series that would give a full, first-person account of Kaepernick’s journey. However, reports of disagreements over the creative direction of the project have surfaced over the past year. Sources say there were conflicts over whether the series should focus on Kaepernick’s personal journey or on broader issues of social justice and systemic racism. ESPN‘s statement to Reuters reads, “ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences. Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”

Spike Lee himself confirmed the news at a charity event, telling Reuters, “It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say.” He also stated that he signed a non-disclosure agreement, preventing him from elaborating further on the issues. The cancellation has sparked debate, with some speculating that the decision is linked to ESPN’s new deal with the NFL, a league that has had a historically fraught relationship with Kaepernick. While the docuseries will not be aired on ESPN, its future remains unknown.