| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Predecessor | ESPN Original Entertainment |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Owner(s) | The Walt Disney Company |
| Parent | ESPN |
ESPN Films (formerly known as ESPN Original Entertainment) is a production company owned by ESPN that produces and distributes sports films and documentaries.
Contents |
EOE began in 2001. It produced various talk shows, series, documentaries and movies that aired on ESPN and its related networks. (See list below)
For several months starting in 2007, it ceased operations. With the exception of the daily talk show Jim Rome is Burning, the EOE logo did not appear on any ESPN programs.
In the first week of March 2008, ESPN announced that this service would change its name to "ESPN Films". In addition, ESPN announced a new alliance with Creative Artists Agency, which represents such athletes as LeBron James, David Beckham and Peyton Manning in addition to many movie and television stars.
The first production to be branded "ESPN Films" is Black Magic, a four-hour documentary about the history of basketball as played at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It aired on March 16 and 17 on ESPN without commercial interruptions.
Their first theatrical film is X Games 3D: The Movie, which was released on August 21, 2009.
On October 6, 2009, ESPN began airing ESPN Films' 30 for 30, a 30-hour series to mark 30 years of the original network. Among those participating in the project are Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Barry Levinson, and Mike Tollin.
Another significant change is that ESPN Films will make movies for theatrical release as well as for television, as MTV and Nickelodeon already do. Walt Disney Studio Entertainment will have the right of first refusal on all projects.