The Last Dance will highlight never-before-seen footage during the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty
By Nicole Ganglani | Art by Saii Shah | Source photos from NBA.com
In order to fill the void sports fans are facing now, ESPN is releasing the Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance” on Apr. 20 instead of early June.
The 10-part documentary takes us back to Jordan’s last season with the Chicago Bulls and the 1997-1998 team that won the franchise’s first five NBA championships. The documentary will highlight never-before-seen footage of the Bulls’ dynasty and interviews of Jordan himself, Scottie Pippen, head coach Phil Jackson, Steve Kerr and Dennis Rodman.
“As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience,” ESPN said in a statement. 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.”
“The Last Dance” also looks back on Jordan’s childhood, his collegiate days and how his arrival in the NBA changed the game of basketball forever. Viewers will also get a glimpse of the Bulls’ early struggles, and their triumphs after drafting Jordan in 1984.
According to director Jason Hehir, “The Last Dance” is an opportunity for viewers to understand how Jordan and the ‘90s Bulls became not just the face of basketball but also a global phenomenon.
NETFLIX
Monday, 20 April – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 1 and 2
Monday, 27 April – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 3 and 4
Monday, 4 May – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 5 and 6
Monday, 11 May – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 7 and 8
Monday, 18 May – 12:01 a.m. PT – “The Last Dance” Episodes 9 and 10
ESPN
Sunday, 19 April
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 1
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 2
Sunday, 26 April
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 1
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 2
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 3
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 4
Sunday, 3 May
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 3
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 4
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 5
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 6
Sunday, 10 May
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 5
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 6
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 7
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 8
Sunday, 17 May
7 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 7
8 p.m. ET – Re-air of “The Last Dance” Episode 8
9 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 9
10 p.m. ET – Premiere of “The Last Dance” Episode 10
“‘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,” says Hehir
The documentary will air on Netflix Philippines with two episodes to be released every Monday.
Players and fans react to ESPN moving up the premier of “The Last Dance”
NBA players like LeBron James, Channing Frye and fans around the world expressed their excitement after ESPN moved the documentary’s premiere date. It’s the perfect opportunity for sports fans to get their fix during the coronavirus outbreak especially since there are barely any events happening right now.
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