A highly-anticipated Netflix documentary series providing rare insight into Vince McMahon, the legendary former boss of WWE, has been in production since 2020. The series was temporarily shelved when McMahon became embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct and paying hush money, but executive producer Bill Simmons recently confirmed the project is back on track for release in early 2024.
When the multi-part McMahon documentary was first announced during a WWE financial call in 2020, it generated buzz amongst wrestling fans eager to learn more about the enigmatic leader who revolutionized sports entertainment. Former ESPN and current HBO Sports producer Bill Simmons tapped acclaimed director Chris Smith, known for the hit FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, to helm the ambitious series, which was granted extensive access to McMahon and promised to chronicle his entire life story.
“It is still happening,” Simmons confirmed at the Bloomberg Screentime event in Los Angeles. McMahon will provide a preview before its release, but he will not hold the ultimate say, Simmons added. “I think it’s going to be the first part of [2024]. Chris Smith is directing it, I don’t know if he’s one of the five best documentary directors or one of the three, whatever shortlist there is, he’s on it. We spent a lot of time on it. I don’t want to say too much” he said.
Speaking at an event in Los Angeles, Simmons confirmed production is back on track with McMahon’s cooperation and predicted the finished series will be “pretty spectacular” when it likely premieres in early 2024, possibly in time for this year’s global event Wrestlemania.
Asked if he had access to Vince, Simmons said, “Yes. That was the initial conceit of it. I don’t want to say too much, but I think it has the chance to be pretty spectacular.” He explained the expansive scope required to capture McMahon’s journey in building WWE from a regional wrestling promotion into a global multi-billion dollar sports entertainment leader.
The Simmons-produced docuseries was thrown into uncertainty when McMahon suddenly retired from WWE in mid-2022 amidst investigations into accusations of sexual relationships with employees and payments to silence those involved. With McMahon no longer in control of the wrestling empire he built over four decades, the filmmakers were forced to overhaul parts of the project.
Insider journalist Dave Meltzer also reports, on his Wrestling Observer Live, that significant progress has been made on the extensive McMahon documentary series, reinforcing that it will trace Vince’s entire life story from childhood to the present day. Meltzer notes that the dramatic events of the last two years regarding McMahon’s sudden WWE exit have changed the direction of the production. “It’s covering the whole life of Vince McMahon. I’ve been asked about every single subject that you can think of regarding Vince McMahon, from childhood to last week, practically. Covered everything. The series, when it started, and how it’s ended are completely different.“
Given McMahon’s integral, complex legacy in creating the WWE as we know it today, an in-depth documentary examining his rise to power, business influence, personal life, and recent controversies has undeniable appeal. Whenever the renewed Netflix series on Vince McMahon finally premieres, it is sure to draw an enthusiastic audience of WWE fans and general pop culture enthusiasts to gain insight into one of the most successful and polarizing tycoons in sports history.
Would you watch a docuseries by Bill Simons on Vince McMahon or the WWE? What other media figures do you think should have a big-budget docuseries based on them? Let us know in the comments!
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