Source: Apple TV+ / They Call Me Magic
Apple TV+ is giving Los Angeles Lakers fans an in-depth look at the life of one of the greatest basketball players ever, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, with its latest sports documentary.
Ahead of its Saturday (Mar.12) premiere at SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, Apple TV+ dropped the trailer for its Rick Famuyiwa (Dope) directed They Call Me Magic documentary. The doc will give viewers a “rare glimpse” into Johnson’s incredible journey, which saw him not only become the face of the NBA, the Lakers, and now one of the greatest business moguls.
Official synopsis:
With unprecedented access, the docuseries explores Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s remarkable journey from being the face of the Los Angeles Lakers and cementing himself as an all-time NBA legend to changing the conversation around HIV and transforming into a successful entrepreneur and community activist. From his humble beginnings in Lansing, Michigan, to become the global force he is today, “They Call Me Magic” charts the cinematic life of one of the biggest icons of our era.
Like ESPN’s The Last Dance, the four-part documentary will feature never-before-seen interviews from Magic Johnson himself, his family Cookie and EJ Johnson, Larry Bird, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, President Obama, Fred Stabley Jr., Dwayne Wade, Jerry West, Michael Wilbon and more.
Apple TV+’s They Call Me Magic follows HBO’s provocative, original series Winning Time that highlights the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Showtime era that Johnson led with his arrival to the famed franchise. Johnson already has stated that he will not be watching the HBO series based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. Speaking with ET, Johnson said his reasoning for opting to skip the show that sees newcomer Quincy Isaiah take on the task of hooping in Magic’s shoes is because he feels you can’t “duplicate showtime.”
They Call Me Magic officially premieres on Apple TV+ on April 22. Step into the first trailer below.
Photo: Apple TV+ / They Call Me Magic
