HBO Sets Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine Documentary for 2017
HBO will debut Allen Hughes documentary “The Defiant Ones” in 2017, Variety has learned. The four-part doc traces the lives and long partnership of two of music’s legends: Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.
“‘The Defiant Ones’ has everything you expect in a great story — drama and humor, tragedy and triumph,” said Casey Bloys, HBO’s president of programming. “Allen Hughes takes you on a journey through some of the most important flash points of popular culture, and I’m delighted that we can bring this unforgettable saga to our viewers.”
For the doc, director Hughes filmed Iovine and Dr. Dre over a three-year period. The story, though, follows both long before the present day, from their roots as the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman (Iovine) and a kid straight out of Compton (Dr. Dre) and all through their ascent to mogul status.
Dr. Dre and Iovine gave Hughes extensive interviews, speaking frankly about their highs and lows, and the show will also include interviews with other music giants like Bono, Eminem, Nas, Ice Cube, Gwen Stefani, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Snoop Dogg, and Bruce Springsteen. The series also features never-before-seen footage from a multitude of recording and writing sessions with Eazy-E, JJ Fad, Stevie Nicks, N.W.A., Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and U2, among others.
Iovine, co-founder of Interscope Records, had invested early in Dr. Dre’s Death Row Records. In 2008, the two teamed up to create Beats by Dre. Initially a headphones brand, the company soon expanded into digital music distribution, and in 2014 the company was purchased by Apple for a whopping $3 billion.
“The Defiant Ones” is a Silverback 5150 Pictures Production in association with Alcon Television Group. Executive producers are Allen Hughes, Doug Pray, Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Laura Lancaster, Jerry Longarzo, Michael Lombardo and Gene Kirkwood. It is written by Allen Hughes, Lasse Jarvi, Doug Pray; edited by Lasse Jarvi and Doug Pray. Music is composed by Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Claudia Sarne. Steven Williams serves as producer.
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