For anyone hoping to see the much-anticipated Spike Lee documentary series chronicling the journey of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the wait is officially over—and not in the way fans might have hoped. The project, years in the making and once touted as a groundbreaking, first-person exploration of Kaepernick’s life and activism, has been definitively shelved. ESPN, Kaepernick, and Lee have all confirmed the docuseries will not see the light of day, citing “certain creative differences” as the reason for its demise (according to ESPN, as reported by Reuters, Deadline, and TheWrap).
The decision, which became public over the weekend of August 16-18, 2025, was not made lightly—or quickly. In fact, as Deadline and TMZ Sports revealed, the choice to abandon the project was actually made back in the summer of 2024, but only surfaced recently. This delay in public acknowledgment has only fueled speculation and disappointment among fans, filmmakers, and social justice advocates alike.
Originally announced in mid-2020 and tentatively titled Da Saga of Colin Kaepernick, the multi-part series was set to be produced by Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks in collaboration with ESPN Films, with Kaepernick and journalist Jemele Hill also serving as producers. The documentary promised an unprecedented, all-access look into Kaepernick’s rise from backup quarterback to NFL star, as well as his transformation into a polarizing figure and outspoken activist for racial justice.
Lee, whose previous sports documentary Kobe Doin’ Work focused on basketball legend Kobe Bryant, was eager to return to the genre. Kaepernick himself, in an earlier statement via ESPN-owner Disney, said, “I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing.” But as the months wore on, cracks began to show in the creative foundation of the project.
By September 2024, Puck reported that significant disagreements had arisen between Lee and Kaepernick regarding the direction and scope of the series. According to sources cited by Deadline and TheWrap, Lee wanted to broaden the focus to include the experiences of other Black athletes who had spoken out on social justice issues—think Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Arthur Ashe, and WNBA star Natasha Cloud. Kaepernick, however, reportedly preferred a more tightly focused narrative centered on his own life and career.
These creative tensions, as confirmed by ESPN’s official statement, ultimately proved insurmountable. “ESPN, Colin Kaepernick, and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” the network said, adding, “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.” Lee himself echoed the sentiment in a brief but telling comment to Reuters and other outlets: “It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say.” Pressed on whether another company might release the series, Lee was unequivocal: “It’s not coming out—period.” He also noted that he had signed a non-disclosure agreement and could not elaborate further.
The announcement comes at a particularly interesting moment in the world of sports media. Just days before the news broke, ESPN finalized a major agreement to acquire the NFL Network, the RedZone Channel, and rights to NFL Fantasy, with the NFL in turn taking a 10 percent stake in ESPN—a deal reportedly worth billions. This timing led some observers and fans to speculate that the NFL, long a business partner of ESPN, may have exerted pressure to quash the Kaepernick documentary, given the quarterback’s contentious history with the league. However, sources told TMZ Sports that the NFL had “absolutely nothing to do with the cancellation.” The decision, they insisted, was purely about creative differences and not about outside influence or league pressure.
Kaepernick’s story is, of course, inseparable from the ongoing conversation about race, protest, and sports in America. After taking over as starting quarterback for the 49ers in 2012, Kaepernick led the team to multiple playoff victories and a Super Bowl appearance. But it was his decision in 2016 to kneel during the U.S. National Anthem—protesting systemic racism and police brutality—that catapulted him into the national spotlight and sparked a movement (as recounted by TheWrap and Deadline). The gesture was both praised and vilified, and Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since that season. While some attribute his absence to his activism and the backlash that followed, others argue that his performance on the field had declined. In October 2017, Kaepernick filed a grievance accusing NFL owners of colluding to keep him out of the league. That lawsuit was settled confidentially in 2019.
The documentary was intended to explore not just Kaepernick’s football career and activism, but also the broader implications of athlete protest and the role of sports in American society. The project’s shelving is, as Deadline noted, the second high-profile documentary series to be dropped in 2025, following Netflix’s decision to cancel a Prince documentary after objections from the musician’s estate. For nonfiction filmmakers, it’s a worrying trend—one that raises questions about creative control, narrative ownership, and the power dynamics at play when telling stories that challenge the status quo.
As for Kaepernick, he has remained silent on the cancellation, with his representatives declining to comment to Reuters and other outlets. Lee, meanwhile, has shifted his focus to other creative endeavors, recently promoting his new film “Highest 2 Lowest,” an English-language remake of a Kurosawa classic starring Denzel Washington. The film debuted in select theaters on August 15, 2025, and is set to stream on Apple TV+ starting September 5.
Whether Kaepernick’s story will be told in another form—or whether Spike Lee will revisit the project with a different partner—remains to be seen. For now, the saga of this documentary stands as a testament to the complexities of collaboration, the challenges of telling difficult truths, and the enduring resonance of one athlete’s stand for justice.
