CNN Films

On October 8, 2012, CNN announced the creation of CNN Films. CNN says that it will acquire and commission original feature-length documentaries that will "examine an array of political, social, and economic subject matters." It also signed development deals with documentary directors Alex Gibney and Andrew Rossi.^[4][5] Since its creation, it already acquired the rights for Girl Rising, a 100-minute documentary narrated by Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, and Selena Gomez.^[6]

While the documentaries will initially air on CNN, the network reportedly plans to enter them in film festivals and distribute them to theaters as well.

At the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, CNN announced the acquisition of three documentaries. It acquired the rights to air Life Itself, a film adaptation of Roger Ebert's 2011 memoir, in television. The project will be directed by Steve James and executive produced by Martin Scorsese and Steven Zaillian. It is scheduled to air in 2014.^[7] The two other untitled projects are expected to air on CNN in 2013. One, from directors Michael Tucker and Petra Epperleini, centers on 9/11 and reconstructs the events at Ground Zero; the other, from director Andrew Rossi, focuses on the transformation of higher education, examining the costs and relevance of college.^[8]

CNN Films bought the television rights of Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare which premiered on March 10, 2013, on CNN. The film was directed by Matthew Heineman and Susan Froemke. The film premiered on January 19, 2012, at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released on October 5, 2012.^[9][10]

CNN Films acquired Penny Lane's Our Nixon, and CNN premiered the film in August 2013, while Cinedigm released it theatrically.^[11][12][13] The network has also then acquired the domestic television broadcast rights of the Sundance film selection Robert Stone's Pandora's Promise and aired it on CNN in November 2013 while it was theatrically released five months before.^[14][15]

On December 10, 2020, CNN Films teamed up with the BBC to produce a documentary about the development and manufacturing of vaccines for the COVID-19 pandemic. The documentary that is not a film is produced by British virologist-turned-filmmaker Catherine Gale who also directs with American independent filmmaker and medical journalist Caleb Hellerman, and will air in 2021 on CNN in the United States under the title Race for the Vaccine and BBC Two in the United Kingdom under the title Vaccine: The Inside Story.^[16]

1. ^ "CNN To Start Documentary Film Unit". HuffPost. October 8, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
2. ^ Benzine, Adam (October 8, 2012). "CNN launches feature docs division with 'Girl Rising'". Real Screen. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
3. ^ "CNN Announces Creation Of CNN Films". Foxtel. Archived from the original on May 19, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
4. ^ Lieberman, David (October 8, 2012). "CNN Creates Unit To Acquire Documentary Films For Theaters And TV". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
5. ^ Flint, Joe (October 8, 2012). "CNN's creation of film unit is step in right direction". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
6. ^ a b Raftery, Liz (October 8, 2012). "Girl Rising to Help Launch CNN Films". TV Guide. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
7. ^ Patten, Dominic (January 18, 2013). "Sundance: CNN Films Makes Buying Debut; Announces Trio Of Documentaries". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
8. ^ Miller, Daniel (January 18, 2013). "Sundance 2013: CNN Films Announces Three Documentaries". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
9. ^ a b Patten, Dominic (March 1, 2013). "CNN Films Acquires 'Escape Fire' U.S. TV Rights; Healthcare Doc To Air In March". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
10. ^ "CNN Films: 'Escape Fire' Debuts on CNN on March 10 at 8pm ET". CNN. March 1, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
11. ^ a b Guthrie, Marisa (April 24, 2013). "CNN Films Snaps Up Richard Nixon Documentary (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
12. ^ Fleischer, Matthew (April 24, 2013). "CNN Films acquires SXSW doc 'Our Nixon' to air on the network in August". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
13. ^ "CNN Films and Cinedigm Acquire 'Our Nixon'". CNN. April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
14. ^ a b Fleischer, Matthew (April 30, 2013). "CNN continues acquisition spree with 'Pandora's Promise'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
15. ^ "CNN Films Announces Acquisition of 'Pandora's Promise' for Fall 2013 Broadcast". CNN. April 30, 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
16. ^ Brian Steinberg (December 10, 2020). "CNN Films, BBC Team on Documentary Showing Race to Create Coronavirus Vaccine". Variety. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
17. ^ Kaufman, Amy (January 25, 2013). "'Blackfish' has SeaWorld in hot water". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
18. ^ Koziarki, Ed M. (February 5, 2013). "James starts doc production on Roger Ebert's memoir". Reel Chicago. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
19. ^ "Sacha Jenkins Talks Art, Culture and 'The Burning of Kingston'". The Boom Box. July 8, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
20. ^ Hipes, Patrick (May 11, 2021). "CNN Sets May Airdate For 'Dreamland: The Burning Of Black Wall Street' From LeBron James' SpringHill – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
21. ^ Day-Ramos, Dino (March 8, 2021). "HBO Max Sets Docu 'LFG' Following U.S. Women's National Soccer Team's Fight For Equality; First Teaser Released". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
22. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (August 9, 2019). "Jackie Collins Doc 'Lady Boss' Lined Up By AGC Studios, CNN Films, BBC Arts & 'Searching For Sugar Man' Outfit Passion Pictures". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
23. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (April 23, 2021). "Anthony Bourdain Documentary 'Roadrunner' Hitting Theaters This Summer". Variety. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
24. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (January 14, 2021). "CNN Films to Develop Stranger-Than-Fiction Documentary 'The Lost Sons'". Variety. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
25. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (April 17, 2020). "Sony Classics Acquires World Rights To Julia Child Doc By 'RBG' Directors, Imagine & CNN Films". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
26. ^ "The Hunt for Planet B". CNN Creative Marketing. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
27. ^ "THE HUNT FOR PLANET B | From Director Nathaniel Kahn". The Hunt for Planet B. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
28. ^ "CNN Films and HBO Max Partner to Bring Citizen Ashe to Screens; Film is Produced by Dogwoof, Rexpix and Stick Figure Productions". CNN. July 15, 2021. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
29. ^ Petski, Denise (October 19, 2021). "Carole King & James Taylor Documentary From Frank Marshall Set For CNN & HBO Max". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
30. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 13, 2022). "Alexei Navalny Documentary Set From CNN Films & HBO Max". Deadline Hollywood.
31. ^ Lang, Brent (January 26, 2022). "'RBG' Filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen to Direct Gabby Giffords Documentary". Variety. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
32. ^ Carey, Matthew (February 3, 2023). "'Glitch: The Rise And Fall Of HQ Trivia' First Look: CNN Films Doc Presses Play On Wildly Popular Game App That Exploded Then Imploded". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
33. ^ "'CNN Films, HBO Max Commission LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING (w.t.) Produced By Bungalow Media + Entertainment". CNN. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022.
34. ^ ""Blue Carbon: Nature's Hidden Power" Premieres on Sunday, April 21".
35. ^ "James Carville Documentary 'Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid' Acquired by CNN Films (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. August 30, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
36. ^ "Luther: Never Too Much". CNN Creative Marketing. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
37. ^ "CNN Films' Luther: Never Too Much Rings in New Year's Day Premiere". CNN Press Room. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
38. ^ "CNN Films and OWN Acquire Dawn Porter's Luther: Never Too Much". CNN Press Room. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
39. ^ "CNN Films Brings the Television Premiere of "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" to CNN on Sunday, February 2 at 8pm ET/PT". CNN Press Room. January 8, 2025. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
40. ^ Fleming Jr, Mike (May 7, 2025). "New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Docu 'Prime Minister' Acquired By Magnolia, HBO Docu Films & CNN Films After Prize-Winning Sundance Bow". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
41. ^ Stenzel, Wesley (November 20, 2025). "Chevy Chase admits it was a 'mistake to leave SNL' in new documentary (exclusive)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
42. ^ Carey, Matthew (August 11, 2026). "'Top Of The World' Trailer: Documentary From Julie Cohen & Betsy West Explores Stunning Restaurant Atop World Trade Center". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 21, 2026.

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