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Published 17:21 IST, September 30th 2020

LeBron James, Maverick Carter sign four-year movie deal with Comcast Corp’s NBCUniversal

According to various reports, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter have signed a four-year movie deal with NBCUniversal

Reported by: Devika Pawar
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In June, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Maverick Carter launched their media company SpringHill Co, which secured a $100 million investment from the get-go. As per reports, the company was formed on March 11 – the same day the NBA was suspended – but was made public in June. According to recent reports, James and Carter have now signed a new business deal with Comcast’s Universal. 

Also read | LeBron James watched "every single minute" of the 2019 playoffs from a hookah lounge

LeBron James movie deal with Comcast’s Universal

Per Bloomberg, James and Carter have signed a four-year movie deal with Comcast Corp’s NBCUniversal. The contract will apparently deal with films and some television projects about sports and culture. Both SpringHill and the studio have reportedly started working on a movie based on James' life which is based on the book "Shooting Stars"

Also read | More Than a Vote: LeBron James and Maverick Carter unveil voting rights group

With sports documentaries gaining popularity, Universal has hopped on that bandwagon by adding James to their list of clients. Earlier in September, they signed Madonna, who will write an original screenplay with Academy Award Winner Diablo Cody. LeBron James, who is one of the most popular athletes in the world, will prove to be a major asset for the media company. 

“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,” said Donna Langley, chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. With Michael Jordan's documentary The Last Dance turning into a massive hit, Universal have confidence that sports stories and plots are something people want to see. 

Also read | LeBron James' media company SpringHill Co. secures $100 million investment: LeBron James and Maverick Carter

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Incredibly proud of today’s announcement! We started building this company almost five years ago and while I love every project we do and every story we tell…I’m most proud of our team and the message we are sending. Over 100 employees with 64% people of color and are 40% female in an industry that averages 25% (we will get to 50%). Our leadership team is a reflection of our entire organization. I want to thank everyone at The Springhill Company for believing in our vision! We closed this deal in March and I knew our work was going to keep getting more and more necessary. Let’s continue empowering others and striving for change and greatness. Some not pictured but surely not missing! We Are A Monster Team! 🚀👑

A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on

SpringHill, according to Carter, will work on giving people who have been overlooked a chance to shine, which includes people of colour, by providing them with the required tools. They also plan to deliver projects which tackle current cultural events. The project Shooting Stars, which currently doesn't have a release date, will most probably be directed by Chris Robinson.

Robinson's previous works include music videos for Jay-Z, Usher and other stars. Their other projects also include New Kid and Catch the Wave. New Kid will be based on a graphic novel, while Catch the Wave was suggested by Ali Kinney. While James serves as SpringHill's CEO, he will soon be seen in Space Jam's sequel, scheduled to release next year. Currently, the Lakers star is at the NBA bubble, preparing for the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Also read | Steph Curry coolly not bothered by Maverick Carter's comments about his defence

(Image credits: LeBron James Instagram)

17:21 IST, September 30th 2020