The HISTORY Channel Greenlights Raft of Documentary Events

The HISTORY Channel has greenlit a slew of new documentary titles, including the four-part series Sitting Bull, from Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions.

Sitting Bull delves into the life of the titular Lakota chief and offers a new perspective on the United States as the nation rapidly evolved around the legendary figure. Appian Way, the Banijay Group company Stephen David Entertainment and IllumiNative, a Native woman-led nonprofit organization focused on increasing Native representation in media, are producing the series for The HISTORY Channel.

A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for Sitting Bull.

Eli Lehrer, executive VP and head of programming for The HISTORY Channel, said: “HISTORY is committed to delivering diverse storytelling that showcases pivotal moments in our history and Sitting Bull tells the story of America through an important lens—a Native American hero that immensely influenced the story of our nation. We are privileged to partner again with Leo and Stephen and collaborate with Larry and IllumiNative to bring to life a crucial chapter of American history through new voices and perspectives both in front of and behind the camera.”

The HISTORY Channel has also greenlit the new nonfiction series History’s Greatest Heists with Pierce Brosnan, which will explore elaborate real-life heists that have taken place throughout history—from the Wilcox train robbery of 1899 to Boston’s Great Brink robbery in 1950. Hosted by Pierce Brosnan, the eight-episode series is produced by Big Fish Entertainment and Anchor Entertainment. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights.

Brosnan said: “Great heist stories are thrilling, and when well told, have the ability to bring the viewer along as almost a co-conspirator to the crime itself. I look forward to traveling back in time to break down the astonishing history behind these true-life heists from the analysis of the masterminds themselves to the elaborate schemes that have transcended time.”

Lehrer added: “As long as there’s been currency, people have hatched schemes to try to take it for themselves. From the earliest horseback train robbery of the Wild West to today’s intricate capers, heists across history have become legends, and who better to take viewers through this exciting, high stakes journey than Pierce.”

The HISTORY Channel has partnered with Peyton Manning and his company Omaha Productions to greenlight two new series: the nonfiction series History’s Greatest of All-Time with Peyton Manning, from Omaha Productions and Six West Media, and the new competition series The Einstein Challenge, from Omaha Productions and Citizen Jones. Each week during History’s Greatest of All-Time with Peyton Manning, Manning will count down the greatest of all time in a single category, from the greatest general to the greatest inventor or resident. In The Einstein Challenge, each episode will see two experts compete to see who can best explain complicated concepts to a panel of kids. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for both programs.

Manning said: “The HISTORY Channel has long been a leader in original programming that informs and entertains audiences. As a longtime history buff, I couldn’t be more excited for Omaha to team up with great historians and producers to create these two shows that celebrate history and uncover stories in a fun way.”

Lehrer said: “We are thrilled to recruit Peyton to our team at The HISTORY Channel. To have one of the greatest in sports history educate us about the most fascinating G.O.A.T’s throughout time, coupled with him producing a smart, witty new show with kids, is unparalleled and we can’t wait to bring these new shows to our audience.”

The HISTORY Channel has also greenlit Five Families, a new nonfiction series executive produced by Ray Liotta and Propagate about the dramatic rise and fall of the New York mafia’s five families—Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo and Lucchese. The series will follow the Mob from its explosive and violent growth in Prohibition, its golden age of domination in the 1970s and 1980s, up through its heated war with law enforcement. The eight-part series is based on Selwyn Raab’s New York Times best-selling book Five Families: The Rise, Decline and Resurgence of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Empires. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights.

Liotta said: “Whether it’s power, money, status or living by your own rules at a time when the American Dream seemed out of reach for so many, there’s a reason why there’s so much public intrigue around the mafia and why it continues to be a pop culture mainstay. I’m excited to partner with The HISTORY Channel to tell the origin stories of New York’s five families, chronicling their rise to the top as well as their eventual demise while weaving together the historical significance of the times that allowed their power to carry on across decades.”

Another recent greenlight by The HISTORY Channel is the new four-part documentary event Harlem Hellfighters, executive produced by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts. Produced by Rock’n Robin Productions and RadicalMedia, the miniseries will bring the complex and courageous story of the Harlem Hellfighters to life through the eyes of three men—band leader James Europe and Privates Henry Johnson and Horace Pippin. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights

Roberts said: “As the proud daughter of a Tuskegee Airman, the first Black aviators in U.S Military history fighting in World War II, I believe their predecessors deserve to be as well-known so we’re telling this story to restore the HellFighters’ rightful place as fierce warriors and American heroes.”