Netflix will be launching a 10-episode docuseries with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in which viewers will be granted a look inside of the writing room and outside of the ring with superstars within the promotion. The venture, which is titled WWE: Unreal, is the newest development announced between both entities, which recently started a 10-year media rights deal surrounding broadcasts of Monday Night Raw estimated to be worth a total of $5 billion. Netflix released a teaser for the docuseries on Monday demonstrating WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque explaining that the company is going to “lift the curtain.”
In addition to WWE, the docuseries features companies including Omaha Productions, NFL Films and Skydance Sports, and it is directed by NFL Films senior producer Chris Weaver. Erik Powers will be serving as the showrunner for the project, which includes various executive producers such as Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Lee Fitting and Ben Houser. Episodes will last 50 minutes each and premiere over the summer, although an exact date has yet to be determined.
During a recent appearance at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, Levesque spoke about the global appeal of WWE and the innovations across media platforms. While there, he discussed the partnership with Netflix and elaborated on how it has provided benefits for the consumers.
“This is the first time ever that it’s been simplified in a way that, globally, the world over, there’s one place, you know where it is, you know when it’s on and you can just go click on it and get there,” Levesque explained, “whereas before, it was multiple partners all over the place depending on where you were, depending on when it was on and what time and everything else under the sun.”
Rather than adhering to the practice of kayfabe, Levesque admitted that WWE is “a calculated, coordinated production” in the teaser. From there, the teaser goes on to demonstrate behind-the-scenes looks at the elements of production that were staged, including strapping a rocket to the back of Jey Uso. Wrestlemania recently concluded from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and it included several exhilarating moments over two nights that ended with John Cena winning a 17th WWE World Championship, breaking a tie with Ric Flair for the all-time record. Cena turned heel earlier in the year, and he teased viewers to tune in for Raw on Monday night streaming live on Netflix at 8 p.m. EST.
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