Apple today announced it has green lit the Louis Armstrong documentary film "Black & Blues: The Colorful Ballad of Louis Armstrong" from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard's Imagine Documentaries. The documentary, which will be produced under Apple's first-look agreement with Imagine Documentaries, will be directed by Emmy-nominated Sacha Jenkins.
Apple says the film will offer a definitive look at the "master musician's life and legacy as a founding father of jazz" who was "often mischaracterized for not doing enough to support the civil rights movement." In reality, Apple says his "fight for social justice was fueled by his celebrity and his willingness to break his silence on issues of segregation and patriotism."
With the full support of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Apple says the filmmakers have access to "a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival materials, including hundreds of hours of audio recordings, film footage, photographs, personal diaries and a life's worth of ephemera for exclusive use in the first significant documentary dedicated entirely to his life." A release date has yet to be announced.
Imagine Documentaries was also behind last year's Apple TV+ documentary film "Dads," which explored modern fatherhood.
Meanwhile, Vanity Fair has a first look at Stephen King's upcoming Apple TV+ series "Lisey's Story" ahead of its June 4 debut. The show, based on his 2006 novel, stars Julianne Moore as the widow of a world-famous author (played by Clive Owen), who "discovered a passageway into a parallel dimension that helped him tap uncanny creative energies."
Update: Apple TV+ has also picked up "Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson," a six-part docuseries that examines sound creation and revolutionary technology used to shape music, according to Deadline.
Apple has since shared more details about this docuseries in a press release:
Each episode of "Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson" will follow Ronson as he uncovers the untold stories behind music creation and the lengths producers and creators are willing to go to find the perfect sound. Ronson explores music's intersection with artistry and technology in candid conversations with music legends and icons including Paul McCartney, Questlove, King Princess, Dave Grohl, Ad-Rock and Mike D from the Beastie Boys, Charli XCX and more, where he discovers the ways in which these unique tools have influenced their work.
"Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson" will debut on Apple TV+ on Friday, July 30.
