EXCLUSIVE: Imagine Documentaries has partnered with three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade for a definitive documentary chronicling the 13-time All Star guard’s NBA career and life off the court as Wade goes through his final season in the league. The film will be directed by Bob Metelus, who is also producing alongside Imagine Documentaries president Justin Wilkes and executive veep Sara Bernstein. Imagine Entertainment Chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard will serve as executive producers alongside Wade’s production company 59th & Prairie Entertainment.
The docu is directed by Wade’s long-time cinematographer, Bob Metelus of Metelus Studios, who has filmed Wade’s life behind-the-scenes for years. The film explores the elements of Wade’s basketball career as well as his off-court life – he is married to actress Gabrielle Union – and documents his rise from unknown to Miami Heat superstar and Olympic champion. He has long been a class act, who came out of Marquette as the fifth overall draft pic in 2003, took his talents to South Beach, and returned to close out his career with the Heat after stints with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. All this is framed around a final season that will include the upcoming All-Star Game, to which he was selected by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to play one last time. Through home movies, video diaries and Metelus’ fly-on-the-wall verité access, Wade takes the audience on a journey through his celebrated NBA career, his deeply personal family struggles and his role as a husband and father all while navigating his “Last Dance” — his final year in the league.
“The opportunity to tell a high-stakes personal story that spans a decade using purely verité material is a documentarian’s dream,” said Wilkes. “The fact that the story belongs to one of the greatest athletes of all time is cinematic kismet. We’re honored to be working with Dwyane and Bob on creating a film that will entertain and inspire.”
Said Wade: “I’m looking forward to sharing this very personal documentary that peels back the layers of my emotional sixteen season journey with all of its twists and turns, and peaks and valleys. It has been a roller coaster ride and the never-before seen footage will show my fans how I’ve made my own way throughout this incredible adventure.”
Metelus called himself “fortunate to have exclusive access into Dwyane’s life, and have witnessed and captured incredibly raw and powerful moments over the years. It’s been a privilege and honor to chronicle his special journey on and off the court,” said Metelus. “I’m excited to share his inspirational story with the world and show an intimate, behind the scenes look at the life of a three-time NBA Champion, father, husband, businessman, philanthropist, style icon, and someone I’m lucky enough to call a close friend.”
This adds to an Imagine Documentaries slate that includes the Bryce Dallas Howard doc DADS, the Ron Howard-directed Rebuilding Paradise for National Geographic Documentary Films and the docu-series She The People with Sarah Jones. The division recently teamed up with Apple to produce a slate of feature documentaries and docuseries, under an exclusive, first-look deal. Howard has completed the documentary Pavarotti about the iconic opera singer, and CBS Films acquired it last month.
Imagine Entertainment and 59th & Prairie Entertainment are both represented by CAA.
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