The Obamas Announce Their Netflix Projects
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have announced the first of their upcoming projects with Netflix.
As part of an exclusive deal with the streaming network, Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, will include a little something for everyone. The projects revealed showcase a variety of TV series, films, and documentaries, Variety reported.
Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents is a half-hour children’s show for preschoolers that will take children on an adventure around the world while learning stories about food. Bloom is a post-Word War II drama set in New York that chronicles the barriers faced by women and by people of color in that era. Overlooked is an anthology series that will tell the stories of remarkable people whose deaths were not covered a New York Times obituary.
Also in the works is a future film adaptation of the biography of Frederick Douglass written by David W. Blight.
Other projects include the feature film Crip Camp, a film that documents the birth of the disability rights movement, and a nonfiction series called Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy that examines the unrecognized work of everyday heroes that help keep our country safe.
Variety reported that the projects will be released on the streaming network “over the next several years,” according to a release from Higher Ground.
People reported that Michelle Obama said in a statement that she loved the list of projects “because it spans so many different interests and experiences, yet it’s all woven together with stories that are relevant to our daily lives.”
“We think there’s something here for everyone — moms and dads, curious kids, and anyone simply looking for an engaging, uplifting watch at the end of a busy day. We can’t wait to see these projects come to life — and the conversations they’ll generate,” she said.
.@Netflix is about to get an Obama makeover. https://t.co/7NDfeG9NnV
— USA TODAY Life (@usatodaylife) April 30, 2019
The Obamas launched Higher Ground last spring. Barack Obama said they created the company to “harness the power of storytelling.”
“Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights, and much more, we believe each of these productions won’t just entertain, but will educate, connect, and inspire us all,” he said.
Last May, Netflix signed a multi-year deal with the Obamas. CNBC reported that Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said the couple was “uniquely positioned” to seek out and call attention to the stories of people who make a difference and make the world a better place.
