Peter Berg, the director of Friday Night Lights and Battleship, has signed on to work with HBO Sports again, agreeing to produce a documentary series called State of Play.
Berg and Sarah Aubrey’s Film 44 and Herzog & Co are producing the series for HBO Sports, reports Deadline. It will follow On Freddie Roach, Berg’s previous cinema verite-style sports documentary for the network.
State of Play will also be in the cinema verite style, with each episode featuring 40 minutes of documentary footage. That will be followed by a panel discussion between the filmmakers, the subject and guest analysts. Berg will appear as the discussion moderator.
“Peter Berg has a long history of producing exceptional, engaging television and we are excited about this new documentary initiative," Ken Hershman, president, HBO Sports, said in a statement, reports Broadcasting & Cable. "This all-new collaboration will enable our sports division to contribute resources and ideas to a film director who has continually succeeded in raising the bar for television viewers. This unique endeavor is an ideal fit for HBO.”
The first episode is called Trophy Kids, focusing on parents’ fixation on getting their children into sports. It airs on Dec. 4 at 10 p.m. on HBO.
Berg directed Friday Night Lights and created the critically acclaimed series of the same name that followed. He also directed the action movies Hancock and last year’s Battleship.