There is no shortage of prestige sports documentary projects either already out or on the horizon. It all started with the success of the ten-part Michael Jordan/Chicago Bulls documentary The Last Dance. Now, Netflix is looking to another NBA legend.
Bill Russell will be the focus of an upcoming documentary for the streaming giant. There is no indication on whether it will be a single film or a multi-episode series.
Netflix certainly picked a deserving subject for one of these kinds of documentaries. Being an 11-time NBA Champion is a compelling life story on its own. Add in his involvement with the fight for civil rights, becoming the first Black head coach in Celtics history, and his success at every amateur level of basketball as well, and there is a lot of content there.
This is a different approach to sports documentaries than we have seen Netflix take recently. The company found success with the reality show F1: Drive To Survive and is already looking at spinoffs for golf and tennis. Even Drive to Survive wasn’t the first foray into that realm. Netflix previously scored a cult following for its Last Chance U franchise.
A documentary about Magic Johnson is coming to Apple TV+ later this year. Apple also announced earlier this week that a ten-part Patriots documentary is coming. ESPN+ just wrapped up Man in the Arena and Awful Announcing revealed that the company has several new 30 for 30 films on the way, including one about the basketball career and life of Bill Walton.
Bill Russell’s life and career will definitely make for an interesting film. The question is how will Netflix make it standout in a very crowded space.
