On Friday, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the History Channel had ordered a documentary from Uninterrupted (the LeBron James/Maverick Carter studio) called After Jackie. The doc will focus on race in baseball after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.
Stanley Nelson (Tulsa Burning, Vick) produces, and Andre Gaines (The One and Only Dick Gregory) will direct the project. Carter, James, Gaines, and Nelson will also receive executive producer credits.
Here’s more from THR about the film itself.
After Jackie follows the teams, players and stories that came after Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, and includes interviews with current and former players, as well as expansive archival footage from MLB’s library. CC Sabathia and Mookie Betts are among the players confirmed to appear, with Bob Gibson and Curt Flood among the players to be featured in the doc.
MLB and the Jackie Robinson Foundation will also be involved in the project, which can only boost its overall quality.
Nelson was also quoted, expressing his enthusiasm.
“As a lifelong fan of baseball, I’m thrilled to be presenting this in-depth documentary on some of the lesser-known legends who followed in Jackie Robinson’s footsteps to push past racial barriers in order to make Major League Baseball more inclusive,” said Nelson in a statement. “I’m excited to work with Andre Gaines on this project and am grateful to The History Channel, Uninterrupted, Major League Baseball, and The Jackie Robinson Foundation for making this film possible.”
I feel like there are plenty of incredible stories that can be told and explored, though it’s a shame that Flood and Gibson are no longer around to be interviewed.