ESPN Drops Spike Lee’s Colin Kaepernick Docuseries

The highly anticipated Spike Lee-directed docuseries on former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick will not see the light of day—at least not on ESPN. The network confirmed it has officially pulled the plug, ending a project that had been in the works for years.

In a joint statement with Kaepernick and Lee, as reported by Reuters, ESPN cited “creative differences” as the reason for parting ways. The series was expected to be a multi-part deep dive into Kaepernick’s life and legacy, but behind the scenes, debates about the show’s direction proved too big to resolve.

The project was first announced in 2020 and started production in 2022. Reports say disagreements centered on whether the story should spotlight Kaepernick’s personal journey or widen its lens to focus on systemic racism and social justice.

ESPN told Reuters, “ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences. Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”

According to the outlet, Spike Lee later confirmed the decision on the red carpet of a charity event. “It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say,” he said, explaining that a non-disclosure agreement prevents him from sharing more.

Some fans and media watchers are wondering if the decision has anything to do with ESPN’s fresh partnership with the NFL. The network recently struck a deal to acquire NFL Network, RedZone distribution, and NFL Fantasy rights, while the league took a 10 percent ownership stake in ESPN.

Given Kaepernick’s famously complicated history with the NFL—including his protest kneeling during the national anthem and his later grievance accusing the league of blackballing him—the timing has sparked debate. Still, Deadline reported that the choice to drop the docuseries was actually made last summer, long before the NFL deal was finalized.

The series was set to chronicle Kaepernick’s football career with the San Francisco 49ers, his activism, and the fallout that left him unsigned since 2016. Back in 2020, when the deal was first announced, Kaepernick said, “I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing.”

Alongside Spike Lee, journalist Jemele Hill and Kaepernick himself were producing the project through ESPN Films and Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. For many fans, the collaboration seemed like a dream team.

But for now, the film sits in limbo. Whether the story finds a new home outside of ESPN remains to be seen.