Earvin 'Magic' Johnson is the subject of a four-part docuseries coming to Apple TV+.
NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson is looking back on his life and career in the four-part documentary They Call Me Magic. In addition to revealing an April 22 premiere date, Apple TV+ debuted the first teaser for the series, which goes deep on one of the world’s most iconic sports figures.
According to the streaming platform and as seen in the first look, They Call Me Magic will offer a rare glimpse into Johnson’s world as he reflects on his impact, both on and off the court.
Thanks to unprecedented access, the docuseries directed by Rick Famuyiwa will chronicle the basketball player’s journey from his humble beginnings in Lansing, Michigan, to becoming the face of the Los Angeles Lakers to the revelation and fallout surrounding his HIV status to the activist, entrepreneur and legend he is today.
In addition to Johnson, who sits down for the documentary, the series will feature interviews with his family as well as an all-star lineup of figures from the sports and entertainment worlds.
In April 2020, the 62-year-old sports legend confirmed to ET that the docuseries was in the works, noting that it will focus on his basketball career as well as his family and business endeavors. "You get the basketball part of it, but then also how I reinvented myself and how I went into business and what I'm doing today, so it will all come into this documentary. I'm looking forward to it," he shared at the time.
The docuseries also comes as TV begins to revisit the heyday of the NBA in the 1980s and the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers. Most notably, Johnson’s story will be partly told in Adam McKay’s scripted HBO limited series, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, premiering in March.
Additionally, a nine-part docuseries helmed by Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and filmmaker Antoine Fuqua is coming to Hulu sometime in 2022.
They Call Me Magic premieres April 22 on Apple TV+.
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