The Weeknd’s performance at halftime of Super Bowl LV lasted 13 minutes, but Showtime will devote seven times that length to a new documentary about the halftime show.
Per Variety, the film (entitled The Show) will be directed by Nadia Hallgren and produced by Pepsi’s content studio and Boardwalk Pictures.
Pepsi, Showtime, and Hallgren all talked up the doc.
“The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show is undoubtedly the world’s biggest stage, producing the most viewed and talked about moment in music every single year. The pressure to deliver an iconic, memorable and entertaining performance is felt well beyond the artist, as there are a number of people – behind the scenes – who are vital to its success,” said Todd Kaplan, VP of Marketing – Pepsi. “With our new documentary coming to Showtime, we are taking fans on the emotional and thrilling journey of what it takes to make the biggest show of the year – with the added complexity of doing so amidst a global pandemic.”
“Anchored by The Weeknd’s dynamic performance, ‘The Show’ is a worthy snapshot of the tremendous artistry and effort that goes into the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show,” said Kent Sevener, Executive Vice President Content Acquisition, Showtime Networks Inc. “Jesse Collins has been absolutely passionate about this project, and Nadia Hallgren brings the kind of energy and insight that will make this behind-the-scenes look a transformative experience and something unique for Showtime viewers.”
“This historic year with Jesse Collins as the first Black EP of the Halftime Show brought an opportunity to tell a new story,” said Hallgren. “We get a window into the process of a diverse team of executives and creatives working at the highest level, in front of and behind the camera. It’s fun to see these masters at work while they also uplift others. I hope this can inspire people to pursue big dreams.”
There’s also a trailer for the feature.
No release date has been announced aside from “later this year.”
While this might be somewhat interesting, I really can’t see myself craving 90 minutes worth of content, given that the show itself didn’t even last a quarter of an hour. I’m also not sure how much desire there will be for this doc if it airs months after the halftime show itself – honestly, who is still going to be talking about the halftime show next week, let alone in say, May or June (or even later in the year)?
[Variety]
