The Last Dance: Michael Jordan documentary series to premiere early due to coronavirus

‘Viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience,’ says ESPN

Former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan in the late 1980s (Getty Images / Mike Powell / Allsport)

An eagerly awaited Michael Jordan documentary is getting released early due to the coronavirus pandemic.

ESPN announced on Tuesday that The Last Dance, which chronicles the NBA legend’s career with the Chicago Bulls, would be released in April instead of June.

“As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience. We’ve heard the calls from fans asking us to move up the release date for this series, and we’re happy to announce that we’ve been able to accelerate the production schedule to do just that,” the network said in a statement.

“This project celebrates one of the greatest players and dynasties ever, and we hope it can serve as a unifying entertainment experience to fill the role that sports often play in our lives, telling a story that will captivate everyone, not just sports fans.”

The Last Dance will air over five weeks between 19 April and 17 May, on Sunday nights.

The 10-part series will be available to stream on Netflix outside of the US.

“In the fall of 1997, Michael Jordan, Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and head coach Phil Jackson agreed to let an NBA Entertainment film crew follow the team all season long. The result would be a remarkable portrait of an iconic player and a celebrated team – a portrait only now being revealed, more than two decades later, in The Last Dance,” reads ESPN’s description of the programme.

The network says the series will chart Jordan’s life from his childhood to ”the culture-shifting phenomenon created by Jordan and the Bulls”.