(NEW YORK) — One of the most talked-about figures in recent baseball history will be the subject of a six-part documentary series coming in 2022, ESPN announced today.
Following the success of last year’s The Last Dance, a ten-part documentary series about Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls, ESPN is set to produce a six-part series on former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. The series, titled The Captain, will tell the story of Jeter’s career and how he became “one of the greatest icons in modern sports.”
ESPN Films announces a multi-part documentary series on Derek Jeter
Executive produced by @MandalaySM, Spike Lee & Excel Media with Randy Wilkins directing
‘The Captain’ premieres in 2022
More: https://t.co/C5l863DqLh | #DisneyUpfront pic.twitter.com/p0llKPicVv
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) May 18, 2021
Jeter played 20 seasons in the Bronx, winning five World Series titles, a Rookie of the Year award, and appearing in 14 All-Star Games.
The documentary, though, will go beyond his on-field success, instead using Jeter’s career “as a vessel to tell a larger cultural story that explores race, family, community, rivalries, and more.” ESPN cites “candid access to the man who helped restore shine to a team, a city and a culture” as “the heartbeat of the project.”
I would like to speak a little bit about the Jeter doc. I’m not gong to get into details about the film. You’re all going to have to wait for that. I just want to share my feelings on being tabbed to do this.
— Randy (@pamsson) May 18, 2021
Jeter himself is expected to be involved with the project, which will be executive produced by Spike Lee.
Jeter returned to baseball in 2017 as a part-owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins. He was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020, his first year on the ballot.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of both ABC News and ESPN
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.