Space Jam 2 star LeBron James and Maverick Carter's global entertainment and consumer brand the SpringHill Company has teamed up with Universal Pictures and signed a four-year, first-look deal as announced by the Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Donna Langley.
“LeBron, Maverick and the team at SpringHill are content creators with a purpose, and we’re excited to partner with filmmakers who challenge us to tell stories that move culture forward,” Langley said. “SpringHill’s projects are compelling, entertaining, inspiring and aim to start important conversations, which we need now more than ever." He added the company "look[s] forward to leveraging our resources across the NBCU portfolio to amplify those titles and bring important voices like SpringHill to a global audience.”
Universal and SpringHill are already in the process of developing three projects: an untitled film based on the book “Shooting Stars” by LeBron and Buzz Bissinger, New Kid, based on the 2019 graphic novel by Jerry Craft, and Catch the Wave, a project based on an original pitch by Ali Kinney.
“The SpringHill Company’s purpose is to empower greatness in every individual," Maverick Carter said. "With Universal, we’re aligned in making sure socially conscious and purposeful elements are felt in all of our stories, whether it’s a drama, comedy, family, or even a horror film.”
Maverick went on to highlight how the partnership promotes creativity and collaboration. “In the same spirit, this partnership allows us to empower creators to tell the stories important to them and culture on the studio projects in the film space. Universal has been an incredibly collaborative thought partner from vision to execution and it’s clear they value championing and telling diverse stories. We’re proud to be partnering with a studio that makes telling diverse stories a mandate and not an option.”
Universal and the Springhill Company had been collaborating for several years before the deal.
