Disney-owned ESPN and film director Spike Lee have revealed that they are canning Lee’s documentary series about controversial, national anthem protester and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Lee had contracted with the cable sports network to produce a multi-part series about the life of Kaepernick, who, back in 2016, helped launch the trend of multi-millionaire NFL players protesting against the United States of America. After a full season of constant agitation against the country, no NFL team signed the quarterback when he turned free agent in 2017. He has since been on the outside looking in with no team expressing any genuine interest in assisting him to relaunch his NFL career.
Many left-wing race pushers have held Kaepernick up as an example of “racism” in America, and Lee intended to highlight the former player’s plight. But it now appears that none of the projects will ever see the light of day.
“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” ESPN said in a statement on Sunday, according to the New York Post.
“Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film,” the network added.
When asked about the project while on the red carpet ahead of the Harold and Carole Pump Foundation dinner, Lee said he signed an NDA over the project and cannot discuss it in public.
“It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say,” he said, adding, “I signed a nondisclosure. I can’t talk about it.”
The series was announced in February 2022, and production began shortly thereafter. Still, it was soon reported that it ground to a halt over disagreements between Kaepernick and Lee over how the player was to be depicted. It was also noted that the disagreements had become so deep that ESPN chief Jimmy Pitaro was telling the media that he was open to letting Lee try to shop the series idea to some other network or streaming service.
It now appears that the whole project is dead in the water, and no footage will ever be seen.
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