Kaepernick strikes deal with Disney
Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be featured in a documentary series produced by ESPN Films as part of a first-look deal with the Walt Disney Co.
The deal between Kaepernick’s production arm, Ra Vision Media, and Disney was announced Monday. The partnership will focus on telling scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity.
‘‘I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers and producers, and to inspire the youth with compelling and authentic perspectives,’’ Kaepernick said in a statement. ‘‘I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing.’’
Despite being exiled from the NFL since the 2016 season, when he took a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality, Kaepernick has said he still wants to play but hasn’t received any calls.
After the nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death May 25 at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell apologized to players for not listening to them earlier, encouraged them to protest peacefully and denounced racism.
Kaepernick will work closely with the ESPN-owned website The Undefeated to develop stories from the perspective of communities of color. His deal with Disney will extend across all platforms, including Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar and The Undefeated.
The docuseries chronicling Kaepernick’s journey and his last five years will be the first project.