Brittney Griner Strikes Wide-Ranging Deal With Disney & ESPN With Feature Documentary & Limited Scripted Series In The Works
A year after WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from a Russian prison, she has signed a sweeping deal with Disney.
The basketball star has signed up to tell her story in a documentary feature from ESPN Films and a scripted series in development with ABC Signature as well as her first exclusive interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts.
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The projects will be exec produced by Brittney’s wife Cherelle Griner as well as her longtime manager Lindsay Kagawa, who is EVP Talent, Wasserman and The Collective, and Brillstein’s Co-CEO Jon Liebman.
It marks a partnership between Brillstein and Wasserman, which serves as the production company, that started nearly a year before the latter acquired the former in a massive deal in the representation space. That deal gave Wasserman access to Brillstein’s expertise in the entertainment space and gave Brillstein access to Wasserman clients. This Griner deal, which started with plans for the documentary, is the first major partnership between these two companies and there are plans for further deals down the line.
“The last two years have been the most harrowing, transformative and illuminating period of my life, and I am grateful to be in a place now to share my story with the world,” said Brittney Griner. “I’m proud to partner with ESPN and Disney to share this very personal story because of its incredible potential to inspire hope around the world and their proven ability to do just that.”
The documentary will chronicle Griner’s story of how, in February 2022, while returning to her Russian team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, during the WNBA off-season, she was arrested at a Moscow airport for cannabis possession and later sentenced to nine years in prison. Despite outcries from the international sporting community and designation by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained, Griner was held under harsh conditions and prevented from speaking with her family for nearly a year. From the circumstances that led to her playing outside the U.S. despite being one of the best players in the sport to her detainment and the determination to secure her freedom, as well as her subsequent advocacy for the release of other wrongful detainees, the documentary will feature exclusive footage, recordings and letters to and from Griner during her time in prison.
Griner is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women’s national team, leading the team to victory at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and the team also won in 2021 in Tokyo. She is a six-time WNBA All-Star and was selected as the first overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she won the 2014 Championship.
Griner’s life will also be developed for a limited series from ABC Signature.
“Throughout BG’s detainment and in the time since, ESPN, ABC and Disney were supportive and caring in regards to the human side of this saga,” said Cherelle Griner. “Love and family were at the center of the fight to get BG home, and with that in mind, there is no better, more trusted partner to tell that story with us.”
“BG is a hero – across sport, culture and humanity. We are privileged to serve as a part of her life’s storytelling journey, and to partner with her and Cherelle to bring Brittney’s legacy to audiences worldwide. Through Disney, ABC and ESPN’s, global wide-ranging TV and film platform, Brittney’s story can be realized and experienced both creatively and realistically,” added Colas and Liebman.
“Brittney is an exceptional athlete whose hardship and resilience are nothing short of extraordinary,” said Burke Magnus, president, Content, ESPN. “We are thrilled to be working with her to tell the nuances of her story and feel confident that this documentary will captivate audiences everywhere.”
“We are honored that Brittney has entrusted us to share her story of hope, faith and determination across our platforms,” said Debra OConnell, president, Networks and Television Business Operations, Disney Entertainment. “Her unwavering perseverance that helped shape her as an athlete has now influenced her leadership as a human rights advocate.”
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