The History Channel has expanded its partnership with the SpringHill Company, the production company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, by ordering three new documentary projects.
The first title is “Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics” (working title), which will tell the story of the the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, which was shadowed by Hitler’s white supremacist agenda, when Black track and field athlete Jesse Owens made history by winning four gold medals. Directed by Andre Gaines and narrated by Don Cheadle, the two-hour documentary will feature archival footage, animation and interviews with journalists, historians and Owens daughters as well as athletes including Carl Lewis, Noah Lyles, Erriyon Knighton, and Christian Coleman, among others.
“Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics” is produced for the History Channel by Uninterrupted and Cinemation Studios in association with GroupM Motion Entertainment. Executive producers include James, Carter, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron for Uninterrupted; Gaines; Cheadle; Richard Foster and Chet Fenster for GroupM Motion; and Eli Lehrer and Jennifer Wagman for the History Channel. Courtney Whitaker and Matt Rissmiller co-executive produce for Uninterrupted and Ryan Lohuis produces for Cinemation Studios.
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The second project is “Jim Thorpe” (working title), centered on the baseball, football and basketball player who became the first Native American Olympic gold medalist. The documentary is directed by Chris Eyre and produced for the History Channel by Uninterrupted in association with INE Entertainment, Five All in the Fifth and GroupM Motion. James, Carter, Henderson, and Byron serve as executive producers for Uninterrupted. Also executive producing are Eyre; Mark Koops and Eric Day for INE Entertainment; Doug Banker for Five All in the Fifth; Foster and Fenster for GroupM Motion; and Lehrer and Jim Pasquarella for the History Channel. Courtney Whitaker and Matt Rissmiller co-executive produce for Uninterrupted and Ryan Lohuis produces for Cinemation Studios.
A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights to “Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics” and “Jim Thorpe.”
Details are yet to come on the third project.
“The SpringHill Company was created to tell important stories and, through this partnership with The HISTORY Channel, we’re able to do that on a whole new level,” said James. “With these documentaries, we want to share those meaningful moments and figures in history that matter with a whole new generation and continue to empower and inspire through storytelling.”
“LeBron and the SpringHill Company have been steadfast creative partners with the History Channel and we are excited to team up with them again to expand our storytelling footprint,” said Lehrer, executive vice president and head of programming for the History Channel. “Together, we are committed to shining a light on diverse narratives that broaden our view of the world, enrich our knowledge of society and cultivate a new generation of history lovers. Jesse Owens is the perfect sports legend to highlight next in our partnership.”
