A Colin Kaepernick series is coming to Netflix. According to an announcement on Monday, June 29, filmmaker Ava DuVernay is teaming up with the former NFL quarterback for the limited six-episode series Colin in Black & White which will focus on the years of Kaepernick’s life and s that led him to become the activist he is today.”
The series will be narrated by Kaepernick.
“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens,” Kaepernick said in a statement, via the Hollywood Reporter. “We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face. We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted Black man in a white community, during my high school years. It’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with Ava for the world to see.”
Emmy nominee Michael Starrbury will write the script and serve as executive producer along with DuVernay and Kaepernick. Starrburry and DuVernay previously worked together on the limited series When They See Us, which was based on the story of the Central Park 5 and also released on Netflix.
The scripts were completed in May.
“With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him, personally,” said DuVernay. “Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”
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The show will highlight Kaepernick’s upbringing as a black child in an adoptive white family. Kaepernick would later go on to spark the NFL protests against racial injustice, police brutality, and systematic oppression by kneeling during the national anthem as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
“We’re proud to bring Colin’s experience and his creative vision to life as he joins Ava to share his powerful story and message with all our members around the world,” said Cindy Holland, VP originals at Netflix. “It is an unparalleled union of two strong and defining voices coming together to tell the story about what it’s like to be Black in America.”
No official release date for the series has been announced at this time.
