Thanks to FX's confirmed greatAmerican Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, America appears to be just as obsessed with the most famous trial of the century as we were back in 1995. Though that series has (very sadly) come to an end, ESPN is stepping up with a massive 30 for 30 documentary on O.J. Simpson in June and Peoplejust unveiled the first peak.
O.J.: Made in America, directed by 30 for 30 frequenter Ezra Edelman, takes a nearly eight-hour deep dive into the life and career of O.J. Simpson without solely focusing on the trial at the center of American Crime Story. "It is a much bigger story," Edelman told Entertainment Weeklyon Friday. "[It's] one that explores O.J.'s life and how race and his pursuit of celebrity shaped it." According to Edelman, the five-part series looks closely at the relationship between the LAPD "and black citizens, a relationship thrust front and center into the discussion of the murders."
As previously reported, the series will premiere its first episode June 11 on ABC before finishing out its five-part run on ESPN starting June 14. "We are incredibly proud of this epic work of documentary filmmaking," Marie Donoghue, ESPN's EVP of global strategy and content, said in a press release announcing the series. "It's one of the most unique projects ESPN Films has ever done. We are especially excited to team with our ABC colleagues to premiere the first installment on ABC."
Edelman, who previously helmed the 30 for 30 episodes "The Opposition" and "Requiem for the Big East," told the Wrapback in February that he was initially hesitant to hop aboard the project. "I thought ‘Haven’t we all lived through this?'" Edelman explained. However, once he really explored the many levels of Simpson's story, he decided that the documentary would actually be a "story about everything."
