Spike Lee‘s docuseries about former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been scrapped, according to the filmmaker and ESPN.
“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” the sports media company told Reuters on Saturday. “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”
In 2022, it was announced that Lee had teamed up with Kaepernick and ESPN Films to direct a documentary series about the former NFL star’s life. It was promised to be the first “full, first-person account” of Kaepernick’s journey and a return to the sports documentary world for Lee, following his 2009 ESPN film “Kobe Doin’ Work,” which centered on legendary Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
On Friday, however, Lee told Reuters on the red carpet for the Harold and Carole Pump Foundation dinner in Beverly Hills that the doc would never see the light of day. “It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say,” he told the outlet. When asked if it was going to be released by a different company, Lee reiterated, “It’s not coming out — period.”
“I signed a non-disclosure [agreement] and I can’t talk about it,” the director added.
News anchors work at Newsmax's booth during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024 (Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
Kaepernick played on the 49ers from 2011 to 2016. He was then thrust into the national spotlight in 2016 when he was spotted kneeling during the U.S. National Anthem at a preseason game rather than standing for it. When he was later questioned about the decision, Kaepernick explained that he was protesting systemic racism in America and the treatment of people of color by American law enforcement officers.
The Milwaukee native, now 37, has not played in the NFL since the league’s 2016 season. His outspoken political activism is believed by many to be the reason why he was not signed by another NFL team after the 49ers expressed their intent to release him and he opted out of his contract with the team.
In October 2017, Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL accusing its owners of colluding to keep him out of the league. The lawsuit was later settled in 2019.
In September 2024, Puck reported that Lee’s documentary about Kaepernick had been delayed by disagreements between the filmmaker and the former NFL quarterback over the direction of the project. It is unclear whether those disagreements were solely responsible for the documentary falling apart or how much of it Lee even completed. A representative for Kaepernick reportedly told Reuters that he had no comment to give about the fate of the ESPN docuseries.
Lee, meanwhile, spent the better part of last week promoting his latest feature film, “Highest 2 Lowest,” an English-language remake of an Akira Kurosawa-directed classic that marks Lee’s fifth collaboration with actor Denzel Washington. It was released in select theaters by Apple and A24 on Friday and is set to make its streaming debut on Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.
Timothée Chalamet and Spike Lee celebrate after the New York Knicks defeats the Boston Celtics on May 12, 2025. (Credit: Elsa/Getty Images)