CNN will continue to roll out longer-form programming in 2016 when it plans to premiere five feature-length documentaries, the network said.
All co-productions of CNN Films, the five films are expected to have theatrical releases prior to bowing on the news network sometime in 2016.
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine was directed by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room), who also directed HBO's upcoming Scientology doc, Going Clear. It premieres March 14 at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Unseen Enemy trails a virus hunter, a microbiologist and others as it explores the pathogens that could cause the next global pandemic. Emmy-winning news producer Janet Tobias directed the film, expected in theaters next fall. Base jumping is the topic in Sunshine Superman, a profile of Carl Boenish, considered the father of the sport.
Additionally, CNN will air two as yet untitled documentaries, including one about the rise and fall of self help guru James Arthur Ray and one about renowned chef Jeremiah Tower, who helped establish "California Cuisine" in San Francisco in the 1980s and is now, in his 70s, contributing to Tavern on the Green's attepted comeback in New York.
CNN Films both produces and acquires original short and feature films. Recent titles include Whitey: United States of America vv James J. Bulger, Life Itself, Dinosaur 13 and Ivory Tower.
“The visionary talents of these filmmakers, the ambition of the topics, and the prominence of the premieres for these selections, all reinforce our commitment to the high-quality, long-form content of CNN Films,” Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement.
