SpringHill Company, the production company, co-founded by NBA star LeBron James and entrepreneur Maverick Carter, has just signed a first-look deal with Universal Pictures, according to multiple reports.
It’s the latest collaboration from the two men, as they already have multiple projects in different stages of development at Universal. Those projects include the “Untitled LeBron James Project,” based on the book “Shooting Stars” by James and Buzz Bissinger and other events in James’ life.
Donna Langley, the chairman at Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, released a statement following the announcement stating, “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.” She added, “SpringHill’s projects are compelling, entertaining, inspiring, and aim to start important conversations, which we need now more than ever. We’re already partnering with LeBron and Maverick on some exciting projects in active development, with more to come, and we look forward to leveraging our resources across the NBCU portfolio to amplify those titles and bring important voices like SpringHill to a global audience.”
Carter, who’s also the production company’s CEO, released a statement on the venture saying, “The SpringHill Company’s purpose is to empower greatness in every individual. 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.” He added, “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.”
News of the deal with Universal comes on the heels of James, Carter, and the production company winning an Emmy award for their work on the HBO special “What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali Part I,” on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The award was in the category of Outstanding Long Sports Documentary.
