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Ezra Edelman blasted Netflix's cancellation of his nine-hour Prince documentary as a "joke" on Pablo Torre Finds Out, blaming estate interference. The O.J.: Made in America director revealed Netflix initially allowed estate input for accuracy but later received a “17-page document full of editorial issues.” Edelman argued his film showcased Prince’s genius and humanity, unlike Netflix’s upcoming estate-approved project.

Director Ezra Edelman is speaking out against the reign of estate-approved celebrity documentaries. The Oscar- and Emmy-winning “O.J: Made In America” director said during a recent appearance on the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast in the below video that Netflix was “afraid” to debut his six-part, nine-hour docuseries about “Purple Rain” singer Prince amid disputes with the late musician’s estate.

The New York Times previously reported that Edelman’s long-gestating docuseries was blocked by Prince’s estate. The project, titled “The Book of Prince,” was officially canceled in early February after Edelman spent five years making it. Now, instead of “The Book of Prince,” Netflix and the Prince estate are working on a new, separate documentary.

“I’m not Prince, but I worked really hard making something, and now my art is being stifled and thrown away,” Edelman said of his shelved docuseries. “This is the thing I just find galling.

Award-winning filmmaker Ezra Edelman is speaking out against Netflix's decision to scrap his nine-hour project about Prince. The would-be six-part docuseries, titled The Book of Prince, which explored the life of the late musician, was shelved by the streamer following legal action and objections from Prince's estate. As is expected, this isn't sitting well with Edelman, who called the decision a joke.

News that Netflix would not move forward with Edelman's doc surfaced in February, when the streamer announced it would allow the estate to produce their own project instead. The apparent problem with Edelman's series? It includes emotional and physical abuse allegations against Prince. During an appearance on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, Edelman expressed his frustrations:

"It's a joke. This is the thing I just find galling. Like, I can't get past this — like, the short-sightedness of a group of people whose interest is their own bottom line.

Ezra Edelman offers his version of events following the scrapping of his Prince documentary for Netflix, arguing people are being served “slop.”

Last month we covered the story regarding Netflix’s scrapping of a nine-hour documentary film charting the life and career of Prince, the pop icon who passed away in 2016 at the age of 57.

Award-winning documentarian Ezra Edelman had worked on a Prince film for Netflix which the musician’s estate seemingly objected to. Ultimately, Edelman saw his film scrapped as Netflix announced that it would instead be commissioning a new documentary – presumably with a more sanitised take on the singer’s life which will gain the approval of his estate.

Edelman didn’t comment last month when news of the film’s cancellation surfaced, but he has spoken out since, calling the decision “a joke” on Pablo Torre Finds Out. Offering his version of events, Edelman claims that...

Last month, Netflix shelved a nine-part Prince documentary directed by Ezra Edelman in favor of a new, estate-approved project. Now, Edelman has gone on the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out to blast the streaming giant and Prince’s estate for their “short-sightedness” and being “afraid” to show his flaws.

“It’s a joke… I can’t get past this — the short-sightedness of a group of people whose interest is their own bottom line,” Edelman told Torre. “They’re afraid of his humanity.”

He also said that Prince’s team sent a list of editorial changes rather than checking the film for historical accuracy. “You think I have any interest in putting out a film that is factually inaccurate?” he said, while noting the actions were similar to Prince’s own reputation as a control freak.

Edelman called the docuseries “a gift,” saying it was “a nine-hour treatment about an artist that was,...

Ezra Edelman did not mince words when asked for his perspective on his Prince documentary being scrapped at Netflix.

While on the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast in an episode that aired Tuesday, the Oscar-winning “O.J.: Made in America” director said Netflix and Prince’s estate thinking his nine-hour, six-part docuseries would harm the artist’s legacy is “a joke.”

“Here’s the one thing they were allowed to do – check for factual inaccuracies,” Edelman said. “Guess what? They came back with a 17-page document full of editorial issues, not factual issues. “You think I have any interest in putting out a film that is factually inaccurate?”

Edelman was quick to point out that Prince championed artistic freedom and now a documentary about his life is being blocked for its maker’s own creative decisions.

“I’m not Prince, but I worked really hard making something and now my art...

Ezra Edelman responded on Tuesday to Netflix’s announcement that they would not release his Prince documentary, calling the decision short-sighted, stifling and “a joke.”

Controversy over Edelman’s documentary first made headlines in September, when a New York Times report alleged that the nine-hour project would accuse Prince of physical and emotional abuse. The Prince estate said at the time they were “working to resolve matters,” and Netflix revealed in early February that the streamer would not release the documentary, and that the estate may develop a new project using content from Prince’s archive.

Edelman did not comment on the Netflix announcement last month, but this week called the debacle “a joke” on Pablo Torre Finds Out. “The estate, here’s the one thing they were allowed to do: Check the film for factual inaccuracies. Guess what? They came back with a 17-page document full of editorial issues — not factual issues,...

The changing nature of the documentary business has seen an influx of celebrities (and their representatives) producing their own series and films over the last few years.

Ezra Edelman, the Oscar-winning director of ESPN’s O.J: Made In America, is warning that viewers are being served “slop” with this approach.

It comes after Netflix scrapped his nine-hour, six-part series about Prince and the musician’s estate will now “develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive”.

“Right now, we live in a culture and in a documentary universe, and in some ways in a journalistic universe, where the subject gets to dictate who they are to everybody. And that is not the way that the Fourth Estate was set up. So, my issue is that in trading for access, you now have a lot of companies and filmmakers making deals with the subject, sanitizing their story and or their image,...

A six-part documentary chronicling the life of Grammy-winner Prince will no longer be moving forward at Netflix. Per Variety, the documentary was set to be directed by Ezra Edelman, the filmmaker behind the 2016 O.J. Simpson documentary, O.J.: Made in America.

A Feb. 13 statement from Netflix confirmed that the Prince documentary is officially canceled at the streamer. “The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive. As a result, the Netflix documentary will not be released,” read the statement.

Related'We Would Still Buy the Movie Today': Netflix Addresses Backlash Against Controversial Oscar-Nominated Film

The Oscar-nominated film has drawn tremendous controversy, but Netflix stands by its release on the streaming service.

The estate of the late musician, who died in 2016 at the age of 57, took to X to mark the announcement...

HBO has announced that its original nine-part documentary series Celtics City will debut on Monday, March 3 at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes will debut weekly through April 28.

Celtics City was directed by Emmy-winner Lauren Stowell (Taquarius Wair: Unstoppable), executive produced by Bill Simmons and Connor Schell, and co-executive produced and showrun by Gabe Honig (The Captain).

Celtics City chronicles the remarkable saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s winningest and most storied franchise, from its founding as one of the league’s original teams to its triumphant 2024 championship – along the way delving into the fierce rivalries, defining moments, and societal forces that have shaped the organization’s enduring legacy.

Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and over 80 interviews with past and present Boston Celtics legends – from Bob Cousy and Larry Bird to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – the series...

A Netflix documentary chronicling the life of the late singer Prince has be canceled.

It was announced on Thursday (February 6) that Netflix will no longer be moving forward with Ezra Edelman‘s controversial project that he has been working on for five years.

Keep reading to find out more…

“The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive. As a result, the Netflix documentary will not be released,” Netflix said in a statement, per The Wrap.

Ezra, who made the 2016 docuseries O.J.: Made in America, originally made a deal with Prince‘s estate to create a six-hour series, and was given Prince‘s archives to produce the project.

However, the project took a turn when multiple of Prince‘s ex-girlfriends accused him of physical and emotional abuse (per The...

David Zaslav isn’t the only one in Hollywood completely scrapping already-shot feature films. This week brings news that a pair of high-profile forthcoming films in various stages of post-production will never see the light of day.

First up, last year Michel Gondry shot Golden (formerly titled Atlantis), inspired by the childhood of Pharrell Williams and featuring the epic cast of Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, Janelle Monáe, Missy Elliott, Quinta Brunson, Anderson .Paak, and Jaboukie Young-White. Universal Pictures had set a release for May 5, but now Variety reports the $20 million film has been scrapped “after unanimous agreement from producers and Gondry that the film did not live up to its developed conceit.”

“When all of us got into the editing room we collectively decided there wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned,” Williams and...

Viewers looking forward to the previously announced Prince documentary have a lot of reason to be devastated following the latest news. The documentary was highly anticipated, with several new pieces of alleged information coming to light in the nine-hour series. Numerous allegations of abuse from former romantic partners of the late pop icon, both physical and emotional, were set to be featured. However, despite the buzz surrounding the venture, Netflix has officially squashed any hope for the documentary to air, instead announcing an entirely new direction for Prince content.

According to Variety, Netflix is not only shelving the Ezra Edelman doc, but it announced plans to partner with Prince's estate, releasing new content. Prince's archive will reportedly be opened up for the world's consumption, putting eyes on the previously unseen work of the artist. The singer's estate was openly opposed to the release of Edelman's documentary, previously referring to...

The six-part Prince documentary is officially dead at Netflix. The streamer will no longer be releasing the Ezra Edelman project, according to multiple media reports. Instead, the estate will move forward on making a new documentary about the late legend.

“The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive,” Netflix said in a statement. “As a result, the Netflix documentary will not be released.”

Shortly after the news broke, the estate posted a video on X set to Prince’s “Free.” “The Vault Has Been Freed,” the account posted along with the hashtag “free.”

The Vault Has Been Freed. #Free pic.twitter.com/uvAbzEBbTc

— Prince (@prince) February 6, 2025

The drama around Edelman’s Prince docuseries is about as intense as documentary drama comes. Originally, Edelman, who is best known for...

The film was directed by Ezra Edelman, the Oscar-winner behind ‘Oj: Made in America.’

Prince is one of the most fascinating and talented musicians of the last half-century. The late pop, funk, and rock artist has a huge following for that reason, but his fans won’t be thrilled at the news that a new documentary focused on Prince on the way from Netflix will now never see the light of day. The streamer has made a deal with Prince’s estate not to release the movie, effectively burying it forever.

Key Details: The untitled movie was reportedly nine hours in length. Oscar-winning director Ezra Edelman was the driving force behind the film. A 2022 change in the administration of the Prince estate led to the documentary’s ultimate demise. Sign Up $7.99+ / month netflix.com

Netflix’s Prince documentary was to be nine hours long and has actually been completed. Nevertheless,...

Netflix has shelved a Prince docuseries directed by Ezra Edelman; in its place, a new, estate-approved documentary has been announced.

Edelman’s docuseries had been in the works for five years, and was slated to have a nine-hour runtime across six parts. Featuring footage from Prince’s archive, it was to include interviews with many of his friends, collaborators, business partners, and lovers. But not all of the project painted him in a good light — according to a New York Times Magazine story from last year, the series described alleged physical and emotional abuse committed by the artist.

Originally, Edelman’s film was approved by the Prince estate when it was under different representation (a circumstance that arose out of his absence of a will). But since the estate changed hands in 2022, there had been an effort to pull the plug on the project. The aforementioned New York Times Magazine...

Netflix has shelved a Prince docuseries directed by Ezra Edelman; in its place, a new, estate-approved documentary has been announced.

Edelman’s docuseries had been in the works for five years, and was slated to have a nine-hour runtime across six parts. Featuring footage from Prince’s archive, it was to include interviews with many of his friends, collaborators, business partners, and lovers. But not all of the project painted him in a good light — according to a New York Times Magazine story from last year, the series described alleged physical and emotional abuse committed by the artist.

Originally, Edelman’s film was approved by the Prince estate when it was under different representation (a circumstance that arose out of his absence of a will). But since the estate changed hands in 2022, there had been an effort to pull the plug on the project. The aforementioned New York Times Magazine...

Netflix will no longer release a documentary about Prince by filmmaker Ezra Edelman following a new deal with the late singer’s estate.

“The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive,” Netflix and the estate said in a statement on Thursday. “As a result, the Netflix documentary will not be released.”

Following the announcement, Prince’s estate shared a video on X with the caption, “The Vault Has Been Freed.

Netflix has on its hands a nine hour documentary about Prince – but the late singer’s estate has blocked its release.

Netflix has officially cancelled Ezra Edelman’s Prince documentary following a period of uncertainty about the ultimate fate of the film. According to Showbiz 411, Edelman’s film “concentrated on Prince’s sex and drugs but not on his rock and roll,” and that was unpalatable to the singer’s estate who refused to sanction the film’s release.

Netflix announced the film’s cancellation with a press release, stating that it would be superceded by the production of a different documentary. The outlet’s Roger Friedman states this will be a very ‘sanitised’ version that meets the approval of the singer’s estate.

Here’s the statement:

“The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new...

Netflix will not release Ezra Edelman’s Prince documentary following a new deal with the late singer’s estate, the two parties announced Thursday.

“The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive,” a statement from both parties’ social media read. “As a result, the Netflix documentary will not be released.”

A New York Times report last September alleged that Edelman’s project would accuse Prince of physical and emotional abuse. The documentary was reportedly nine hours, and featured interviews with dozens of Prince’s former business partners, lovers, friends and associates. Edelman is best known for O.J.: Made in America.

Among the allegations reported was an interview with Prince’s ex-lover Jill Jones, who spoke of a night in which he slapped and punched her in the face.

In Netflix’s new docuseries, “American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson,” director Floyd Russ revisits — once again — the 1994 murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman and the subsequent criminal trial of O.J. Simpson.

It’s been 30 years since the “trial of the century,” but time doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to this double homicide case. The rise and fall of Simpson, a former football star accused of killing Brown and Goldman, is a story that continues to fascinate viewers. Simpson died at age 76 last April.

What more can be said about a case that has spawned countless documentaries, including ESPN’s Oscar-winning docuseries “O.J.: Made in America” as well as the Emmy-winning FX scripted series “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story”?

Apparently, enough for Netflix to commission a four-parter.

While a good portion of “American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson” rehashes what has already been said in “O.J.: Made in America,...

Whether you love underdog stories, historic championships, or personal triumphs, ESPN+ has it all.

A great sports documentary does more than show highlights - it tells the human story behind the unforgettable moments in sports history. They let you experience the intensity of a close game, the pressure of extreme expectations, and get you closer to understanding how the best athletes in the world achieve what us mere mortals only dream of. If you’re into comeback stories, intense rivalries, or a closer look at sports icons, there’s one streaming platform that consistently delivers: ESPN+. Here’s why I think it’s the best streamer for sports documentaries.

Everything you need to know about the best streamer for sports documentaries:

What popular sports docs can you stream on ESPN+?

What other streaming platforms carry sports documentaries?

What popular sports docs can you stream on ESPN+?

In my mind, ESPN...

What’s the deal with the film Academy’s documentary branch? This season’s shortlist for the best documentary feature Oscar, released Dec. 17, was missing one of the year’s most acclaimed crowd-pleasers, Warner Bros.’ Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story — which is at 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, won the top Critics Choice documentary award and is nominated for the Producers Guild’s top doc award — and also impressive documentaries about Martha Stewart (Martha), Celine Dion (I Am: Celine Dion), James Carville (Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid) and John Williams (Music by John Williams), among others.

This isn’t to say that the 15 docs that were shortlisted are lacking — to the contrary, most are excellent. But it does reconfirm the doc branch’s weird aversion, over roughly the past decade, to populist titles.

During that period, the branch declined to shortlist Good Night Oppy, a charmer about a Wall-e-like Mars...

If you were to walk up to somebody 20 years ago and ask them about a film's length, a common consensus was likely to emerge: the longer the runtime, the less appealing it is to watch. In 2024, however, the response might be different. In 2021, the Los Angeles Times reported a study that concluded less than half of moviegoers are dissuaded by lengthy runtimes. In 2023, Slate reported that the average runtime of the 10 highest-grossing movies in the United States was 2 hours and 23 minutes -- over 20 minutes longer than 20 years ago. With rising trends in long-form content engagement across film, television, and online video, it has become clear that people are ready for longer viewing experiences, TikTok attention spans be damned.

Most people look at beefy, historical epics like "The Ten Commandments" and "Lawrence of Arabia" as the be-all and end-all of long-form cinema, but those are just the tip of the iceberg.

Today, the Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced the 2025 Documentary Motion Picture nominees that will advance to the final round of voting for the 36th Annual PGA Awards. Winners will be announced on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Below are the nominees for Best Documentary:

“Gaucho Gaucho”

“Mediha”

“Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa”

“Porcelain War”

“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”

“We Will Dance Again”

Last year, producers Lauren Domino, Matthew Heineman, and Joedan Okun were honored with the award for for “American Symphony,” defeating eventual Oscar champ “20 Days in Mariupol.” The movie intimately followed award-winning musician Jon Batiste’s journey in composing a symphony while his wife underwent cancer treatment.

The winner of the PGA Award for Best Documentary has matched up with the eventual Oscar winner five of the past 10 years: “Amy” (2015), “O.J.: Made in America” (2016), “My Octopus Teacher” (2020), “Summer of Soul...

Cinema Eye Honors, an organization that celebrates the artistic achievements of nonfiction and documentary filmmakers, has unveiled the feature film nominees for its 18th annual award ceremony, which takes place Jan. 9 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem, N.Y.

“Sugarcane,” from co-directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, led the pack with six nods, including nominations for outstanding nonfiction feature and direction. The film investigates abuses and forced separations of families within a Canadian Indigenous community.

“Dahomey,” from Mati Diop, and “No Other Land,” from Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor, also landed nods for outstanding nonfiction feature and direction. Both films pulled in five nominations each.

Nominees for the outstanding production category include Paula DuPre’ Pesman’s “Porcelain War.” Pesman previously won in the category at the 3rd Cinema Eye Honors in 2010 for “The Cove.” Shane Boris and Odessa Rae, who took...

Great Oscar-contending documentaries and the Scad Savannah Film Festival: for more than a decade now, the two have been virtually synonymous thanks to the ‘Docs to Watch’ panel, which is presented by The Hollywood Reporter, moderated by yours truly and brings to the nation’s largest university-run film festival the directors of 10 of the year’s finest nonfiction features.

Indeed, over the 10 years that the panel was held prior to this year, 21 of the 97 docs that were featured went on to nominations for the best documentary feature Oscar, and eight of those ultimately won that award: 2015’s Amy, 2016’s O.J.: Made in America, 2017’s Icarus, 2018’s Free Solo, 2019’s American Factory, 2021’s Summer of Soul, 2022’s Navalny and 2023’s 20 Days in Mariupol.

This year’s gathering took place on Oct. 30 at Scad’s Lucas Theatre as part of the fest’s 27th edition, and, as you can see for...

Fifteen-year-old Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has revealed its influential 15-film Short List. The festival will run its main lineup of 111 features, 32 world premieres, 24 U.S. premieres, and 129 short films in-person November 13-21 in New York City’s IFC Center, Sva Theatre, and Village East by Angelika and continue online until December 1 with films available to viewers across the U.S. All the films will have theatrical screenings at the festival, often with the directors in person.

Historically, most of the Doc NYC shortlist titles overlap with the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar shortlist. With the notable exception of Netflix’s Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” for 12 years, the festival has screened the documentary that went on to win the Academy Award, including “20 Days in Mariupol,” “Navalny,” “Summer of Soul,” “American Factory,” “Free Solo,” “Icarus,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Amy,” “Citizenfour,” “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Searching for Sugar Man,...

The Critics Choice Association unveiled the nominees for its 9th annual documentary awards on Oct. 14. “Sugarcane” leads with eight bids including Best Documentary Feature, Best Director for Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, Cinematography, and Editing. This film about child abuse at an Indian residential school also contends in the historical, political, and true crime categories while the helmers are up for the newcomers prize.

Three films netted a half dozen nominations each: “Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story,” “Daughters,” and “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.” All three contend for Best Documentary Feature. That race is rounded out by “The Greatest Night in Pop,” “Jim Henson Idea Man,” “Music by John Williams,” “Piece by Piece,” “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” and “Will & Harper.”

Last year, “American Symphony” earned a leading six nominations from the Ccda but was then snubbed by the documentary branch of the academy. The big...

“Sugarcane” led all films with eight nominations for the 2024 Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which announced its nominees on Monday morning.

The documentary by Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie explores the network of boarding schools that existed for indigenous peoples in Canada and the abuse therein; it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically by National Geographic Documentary Films.

The films “Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story,” “Daughters” and “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” received six nominations each.

Other nominees in the Best Documentary Feature category are “The Greatest Night in Pop,” “Jim Henson Idea Man,” “Music by John Williams,” “Piece by Piece,” “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” and “Will and Harper.”

Nominees in the Best Director category are NoiseCat and Kassie for “Sugarcane,” Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui for “Super/Man,” Josh Greenbaum for “Will & Harper,” Ron Howard for “Jim Henson Idea Man,” Natalie Rae...

ESPN has aired over 150 films in its sports doc strand 30 for 30 including The Two Escobars, Four Falls of Buffalo and Lance as well as Ezra Edelman’s O.J: Made In America.

To celebrate its 15th anniversary, the Disney-owned sports broadcaster is airing a one-hour special.

Hosted by Roy Wood Jr., the former Daily Show correspondent who now hosts CNN’s Have I Got News For You reboot, the special will feature a countdown of the top films that have defined the series since its inception in 2009.

It will air on October 6 on ESPN2 and will then be available on ESPN+.

The special will revisit some of the most impactful and beloved films from the series and will feature interviews with co-creators and original executive producers Bill Simmons, Connor Schell, and John Dahl, along with directors and contributors including Michael Bonfiglio, Nanette Burstein, Billy Corben, Marcus Dupree, Jason Hehir, Jonathan Hock,...

The Scad Savannah Film Festival, which takes place each year shortly before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences votes to determine its Oscar shortlists, has revealed the names of the 10 documentary features that it will highlight on this year’s edition of its Docs to Watch panel, a 90-minute discussion about the challenges and rewards of documentary filmmaking.

The films that will be represented on this year’s panel — which will take place at the Lucas Theatre on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 30, and will be moderated by yours truly for the 11th year in a row — and will also screen during the fest, followed by a Q&a with their director(s), will be:

Black Box Diaries (MTV Documentary Films), represented on the panel by director Shiori Ito — the filmmaker documents the investigation into her sexual assault by a powerful man in Japan Carville: Winning Is Everything,...

Primary Wave Music and Prince Legacy, two companies with ties to Prince’s assets, released a statement Monday afternoon in response to reports of an unreleased documentary accusing the late musician of physical and emotional abuse.

“Those with the responsibility of carrying out Prince’s wishes shall honor his creativity and genius,” the statement reads. “We are working to resolve matters concerning the documentary so that his story may be told in a way that is factually correct and does not mischaracterize or sensationalize his life. We look forward to continuing to share Prince’s gifts and celebrate his profound and lasting impact on the world.”

On Sunday, a lengthy report from The New York Times Magazine revealed that an unreleased nine-hour documentary from O.J.: Made in America filmmaker Ezra Edelman featured interviews with dozens of Prince’s former business partners, lovers, friends and associates, which included multiple allegations of physical and emotional abuse.

ESPN Films has greenlit a “30 for 30” documentary about Billie Jean King, which is now in production with Ridley Scott Associates and Story Syndicate, in association with Elton John’s Rocket Sports.

The docu is being touted as “the unfiltered, untold story of how King broke the rules and proved her critics wrong.” The film is told in King’s own voice and centers around one year that brings her life and career into focus: 1973.

Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff (“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”) the doc promises to shed new light on King’s life and her transformative impact on sports and society.

“The legacy of Billie Jean King is like none other,” says Garbus. “She is a generational athletic talent, a pioneer in women’s sports, and a leader in the fight for equal pay and against discrimination in sports and society.

Here’s a first look at the emotional trailer for Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. The film is a moving and vivid cinematic telling of Reeve’s remarkable story.

Only in Theaters September 21 and September 25. Tickets are available:

https://www.fathomevents.com/events/super-man-the-christopher-reeve-story

The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate...

Warner Bros. Pictures has shared the official trailer for Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. The film will be presented by Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events in select theaters on September 21, followed by an encore presentation on September 25, Christopher Reeve’s birthday.

The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from an unknown actor to an iconic movie star. His definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today.

Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for...

Nine years after “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” won the Emmy for Best Documentary Series, its previously unplanned second season is up for the same award. Unlike last time when it stood out as the only crime series in its lineup, it is now joined in that regard by both “Telemarketers” and “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.”

Unlike most Primetime Emmys, Best Documentary Series is a non-competitive area award that is bestowed upon any nominee that earns the approval of 90% of the members of the TV academy’s documentary peer group. This means that the five programs in the 2024 lineup are not vying for a single trophy and could all potentially prevail. However, if no nominees hit said 90% threshold, only the highest-rated one will win.

In order to determine which of this year’s nominees has the best shot at being approved for victory,...

Wanting to even deeper into sports stories than TV broadcasts are able? The best sports documentaries have you covered, giving cinematic sweep and depth to athletes and their stories (both in the arena and out). Whether it’s football movies or movies about combat sports or sports movies for those who don’t like sports there’s some inherent alignment between athletic competition and film and TV storytelling. Documentary filmmakers have been able to look beyond the kineticism (or capture it even more dynamically) to present stories that look at the psychology and the struggles of athletes, and the cultural significance of their careers. Here are the 17 best sports documentaries ever made.

With editorial contributions from Brandon Latham.

Ken Burns’ “Baseball” (1994) Ken Burns with Ted Williams when producing ‘Baseball’Courtesy Everett Collection

Ken Burns has a weird tendency to turn over his entire documentary to one particular talking head, whose...

It’s really starting to sound like that secret, nine-hour, six-part documentary on Prince isn’t happening after all.

Wait, since when is there a secret, nine-hour, six-part documentary on Prince and why am I just hearing about this only to be immensely disappointed? Why the fuck would you show me something if I couldn’t have it? Our questions exactly.

As it turns out, Ezra Edelman, the director of the Oscar-winning “O.J.: Made in America,” has been quietly working on an epic documentary project about Prince for the last four years for Netflix. The project has never been formally announced, but Variety way back in 2018 reported something was happening on the late music icon. Ava DuVernay was even originally attached to direct.

But now it seems to be falling apart at the one-yard line, even after some insiders have already screened the film. As Puck first reported earlier this week,...

Over the course of the last several decades, the line between television and film has become blurred. While traditionally there was a notable budget and quality difference between the two mediums, many of the best modern drama shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, or Mad Men reached a level of quality and significant resources that rivaled many of the smaller films in theaters. Additionally, the growing serialization of blockbuster films, particularly those in the superhero genre, has made many big-screen events feel like just episodes of a prolonged serialized narrative. Theres a fuzzy line to be drawn, but the 2016 documentary O.J.: Made in America became the first project to win both an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy.

Friday, June 17, 1994 was a monumental day for professional sports in America. For the most part, fans and media knew this when they woke up. The highlights:

Arnold Palmer — the most beloved golfer on the planet; a charismatic force of nature who commanded "Arnie's Army" and popularized the sport amongst working class people — was, barring a furious comeback from a 64-year-old man, set to close out his final round at the U.S. Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. In Chicago, the 1994 FIFA World Cup commencement ceremony was taking place, and was doubly significant for marking the first time the prestigious soccer tournament would be held in the United States. 500 miles southwest of the Windy City, baseball fans were keeping an eye on the Seattle Mariners tilt with the Kansas City Royals, wherein phenom Ken Griffey Jr. could potentially tie Babe Ruth's MLB record for most home runs before June 30 (of note...

In the upcoming Lifetime docuseries “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson,” audiences will get to hear from O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole, who was found murdered alongside Ronald Goldman in 1994 outside her Brentwood condominium, in ways most viewers have not before. Most of the nation associates her voice with the 911 call she made in October of 1993 to tell a dispatcher that Simpson had broken into her home. In “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson,” however, audiences will hear Nicole speaking to her children Sydney and Justin, her father, Lou Brown, as well as friends including Kris Jenner.

The two-part series, which begins airing on June 1, comes just months after O.J. Simpson’s death due to metastatic prostate cancer and 30 years after Nicole and Ron Goldman’s murder on June 12, 1994.

The docu features 50 participants, including Nicole’s three sisters — Denise, Dominique and Tanya Brown — as well...

Exclusive: ESPN Films has acquired the documentary Motorcycle Mary ahead of its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 7.

The 22-minute film by Haley Watson – her directorial debut – tells the story of Mary McGee, known as Motorcycle Mary, a legend in the world of motorsports who became the first woman to compete in road races and motocross competitions in the U.S. The documentary is executive produced by Formula One great Lewis Hamilton and two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot. Rachel Greenwald produced the film. Watch the trailer below.

Motorcycle Mary will feature “stunning never-before-seen archival footage and photographs from McGee’s life,” according to a release. McGee first hopped aboard a 200 cc Triumph Tiger Cub in the 1950s, later trading that in for a Honda C110. She was off and gunning from there.

“Born...

The North Road Company has hired Netflix and HBO vet Rochelle Gerson as head of business affairs.

She will oversee the strategy and execution of all content deals across North Road’s portfolio of production companies. She will also provide counsel to North Road’s executive team, including Amy Israel, Jenno Topping, Jan Frouman, Chris Coelen, Connor Schell, and Darian Singer, and report to CEO David Nevins.

Gerson spent nearly five years with Netflix, where she led a team of more than 40 staffers as VP of Original Series, overseeing business and legal services for more than $1 billion worth of programming. Previously, Gerson spent more than a decade with HBO, rising to SVP of Business Affairs and overseeing a broad range of licensing, acquisition, co-production, and talent deals. Previous posts included EVP of Business Affairs for the Carsey Werner Company and roles with the Walt Disney Co. and NBC.

Launched by...

Killing Eve season 1 ranks third on Netflix's Top 10 Most Popular Shows for the week of April 15-21. The show was recently added to the streamer's library, and its success is a reminder of star Sandra Oh's continued appeal. Since exiting Grey's Anatomy, Oh has picked a slew of exciting projects and seems poised to continue doing so.

Killing Eve, featuring former Grey's Anatomy star Sandra Oh, finds new success on Netflix. Oh was part of the original Grey's Anatomy cast, appearing as Cristina Yang in seasons 1-10. Since leaving the show, Oh has starred in a number of high-profile projects, with Killing Eve one of her most notable. Oh received Emmy nominations for her work in all four seasons of Killing Eve, a feat made more impressive by the five nominations she received for Grey's Anatomy a decade earlier.

Like Grey's Anatomy, Killing Eve remains popular today, as...

One of America's strangest celebrity sagas came to an abrupt, anticlimactic close when O.J. Simpson died at the age of 76 on April 10, 2024. The Heisman Trophy-winning running back from the University of Southern California became a professional football phenomenon during his 11-season tenure with the Buffalo Bills. He was blindingly handsome and charismatic, as comfortable in front of a camera as he was breaking tackles on the gridiron. Unlike Jim Brown, Simpson chose to keep playing football when he embarked on his acting career; and though Simpson was typically cast in supporting roles, they were often high-profile productions (namely the Best Picture-nominated "The Towering Inferno" and the Emmy-winning miniseries "Roots").

When Simpson retired, he continued to act while staying close to football as an on-field reporter for NBC. You never knew where The Juice was going to turn up, but you were never unhappy to see him. This was especially true...

O.J.: Made in America covers everything about O.J. Simpson while also transcending the typical true crime documentary, becoming a perfect film about America. The nearly eight-hour film won practically every award possible for a documentary, a testament to its quality and ability to captivate viewers on multiple levels. Made in America is not just about O.J. Simpson, but delves into race, class divisions, celebrity culture, and societal issues, making it a significant cultural study.

O.J. Simpson has passed away, leaving behind a complicated, sometimes frustrating, sometimes exhilarating, and often disturbing legacy behind him. Of course, Orenthal James Simpson has become deeply wedged in the pop-cultural lexicon by now, famous for a career that went from the NFL to Hollywood to 'the trial of the century.' Everyone remembers the white Bronco being chased by the police, with half the nation staring at their television sets. We remember the trial and that,...

As you've likely heard by now, O.J. Simpson has passed away at the age of 76.

One of the most famous -- and infamous -- Americans of the modern era, Simpson was known for many things:

He was, of course, a world-class athlete, a standout at running back for the NFL's Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.

Later in life, he would become the center of the most high-profile murder trial of the 20th century,

And though he beat the charges under dubious circumstances, the lingering suspicion that Simpson murdered his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, would make him a pariah in the upper-crust social circles that had served as his comfortable domain for so many years.

But before O.J. ever earned a dime from professional football -- before he was arrested for murder and before he served nine years in prison on unrelated robbery and...

O.J. Simpson died April 10. But the media age ushered in by his presence, his saga and his white Bronco, remains very much with us.

An all-time great NFL running back-turned-actor, Simpson was a minor celebrity and part of a circle of fame-adjacent Los Angeles hangers-on in the 1990s. The killing of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, on June 12, 1994, converted Simpson instantly into an object of national obsession; five days later, Simpson failed to turn himself in after the Los Angeles Police Department ordered him to surrender on charges of first-degree murder, and engaged the LAPD in a low-speed car chase.

The details of this have been chewed over, including by the recent double dose of O.J. stories — FX’s series “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story” and Ezra Edelman’s documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” both released in 2016 — and yet they still boggle the mind.

If you were alive in the 1990s, you couldn’t escape the vortex of attention around the Oj Simpson murder trial. In a mostly pre-internet age, the case received wall-to-wall attention on television. In the decades that followed, media companies revisited the case with some phenomenal results.

American Crime Story February 2, 2016

The first season of this anthology series dramatizes the trial with an all-star cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Sterling K. Brown, Nathan Lane, Sarah Paulson, David Schwimmer, John Travolta, and Courtney B. Vance. It won the Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series, and Vance, Paulson, and Brown won Emmys for acting in the series.

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