HBO is continuing their strong run of extreme sports documentaries and docuseries. In the last few years, they’ve broadcast Momentum Generation and 100-Foot Wave (surfing), Any One Of Us (BMX and spinal injuries), Dear Rider (snowboarding), and more. Their latest pickup there is on skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, and is entitled “Until The Wheels Fall Off”: directed by Sam Jones, it comes from Mark and Jay Duplass’ Duplass Brothers Productions, with the brothers serving as executive producers (along with Duplass Brothers president Mel Eslyn). It will premiere on HBO and HBO Max in 2022. Here’s more on it from a release:
The film is a wide-ranging, definitive look at Hawk’s life and iconic career, and his relationship with the sport with which he’s been synonymous for decades. Hawk, born in San Diego, Calif., is a pioneer of modern vertical skating and one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. The documentary features unprecedented access, never-before-seen footage, and interviews with Hawk, and prominent figures in the sport including Stacy Peralta, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Neil Blender, Andy MacDonald, Duane Peters, Sean Mortimer, and Christian Hosoi.
“Sam has managed to make a film that somehow transcends the sport of skating and becomes a unique and very human portrait,” said Mark Duplass. “Can’t wait to share this thing with the world.”
“I’ve been enamored and fascinated with Tony Hawk ever since 1983 when I saw him at the skatepark,” said Jones. “To get to know him as a human being has been the great journey of this film, and to share my love of skating in this way is the culmination of my creative endeavors.”
Hawk’s story is certainly a fascinating one, and he has a lot of resonance with many over decades thanks to his skateboarding career, his name-bearing video game series, his film and TV appearances, and his appearances at the skateboarding competition at this year’s Olympics. So this is definitely an interesting project, and they’ve lined up a great list of other interviewees from the sport. For those interested in skateboarding and Hawk’s career, this will be one to keep an eye on.
[Photo from Francis Falls, via HBO]
