A new ten-part documentary season looking at NBA legend Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls has been brought forward two months to April.
The Last Dance was initially due to premiere on ESPN in June, but the American sports network have responded to fans deprived of live action due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ESPN confirmed the decision on Tuesday's Good Morning America and say the series will be made available outside of the US on Netflix.
On April 19 ... IT BEGINS 🍿#TheLastDance | @StateFarm pic.twitter.com/BTxWjWyqdY
— ESPN (@espn) March 31, 2020
The Last Dance is a joint production of ESPN Films and Netflix, and looks at Jordan's life through the prism of his final season with the Bulls in 1997/98.
The series has been directed by Jason Hehir who was behind the lens for HBO's 2018 documentary on the life of Andre The Giant.
It's believed producers have tapped more than 500 previously unseen hours of footage from the Bulls' last championship season, and interviewed more than 100 people connected to Jordan and the team.
Hehir says of the series' release, "Michael Jordan and the '90s Bulls weren't just sports superstars, they were a global phenomenon,
"Making The Last Dance was an incredible opportunity to explore the extraordinary impact of one man and one team.
"For nearly three years, we searched far and wide to present the definitive story of an era-defining dynasty and to present these sports heroes as humans.
"I hope viewers enjoy watching our series as much as we enjoyed the opportunity to make it."
An ESPN statement says they've brought forward the documentary to give sports fans the "collective experience" they've been deprived of due to a lack of live action.
They add, "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.
"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."
