New details of Obama's Netflix deal; 'Empire' extended
Top Talkers: The former first family will be bringing a slate of new programming to Netflix, including scripted and unscripted series, documentaries and more; season six is a go for 'Empire.'
Barack and Michelle Obama have revealed the initial projects their production company will release as part of a new partnership with Netflix.
On Tuesday, the Obamas' production arm Higher Ground Productions announced a total of seven projects — both films and series — that the former president said will entertain but also "educate, connect and inspire us all."
Spearheaded by Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis, the Obamas launched Higher Ground last spring in an effort to produce a diverse mix of content, which includes a scripted series, an unscripted series, a docu-series, as well as documentaries and features, according to a previous press release from the streaming giant, which announced the multi-year agreement.
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"We love this slate because it spans so many different interests and experiences, yet it's all woven together with stories that are relevant to our daily lives," former first lady Michelle said. "We think there's something here for everyone — moms and dads, curious kids, and anyone simply looking for an engaging, uplifting watch at the end of a busy day."
Since introducing Higher Ground, it has remained steadfast in producing and shopping various projects. Over the next several years, the company will produce a feature film on Frederick Douglass, which is adapted from David W. Blight’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography. However, the company’s first offering will be Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert’s Sundance Film Festival documentary “American Factory,” about a Chinese-owned factory in post-industrial Ohio.
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Higher Ground and the streaming giant also acquired “Crip Camp,” a documentary from Jim Brecht and Nicole Newnham about a summer camp for disabled teenagers founded in upstate New York in the early 1970s.
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“We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling,” former president Obama said. “That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects. Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights, and much more, we believe each of these productions won’t just entertain but will educate, connect, and inspire us all.”
Fox News’ Stephanie Nolasco and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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