Netflix is reportedly developing a documentary about the 2019 incident in which actor Jussie Smollett alleged he was physically attacked outside his apartment building in the Chicago area. The project will be led by the team behind two other popular true crime docs, The Tinder Swindler and Don’t F**k with Cats. Director Gagan Rehill says the film will be a “thrilling ride” with “competing narratives” and “colorful testimonies.”
“I’m very excited to be sharing this film with Netflix viewers,” Rehill said. “This story is a thrilling ride, and we were lucky enough to have access to the key players. I wanted this documentary to balance their competing narratives and to also use their compelling, colorful testimonies to thread the light and shade of the story through the film.”
The documentary will not only feature exclusive footage and examine competitive narratives, but it will also feature interviews with legal experts and law enforcement professionals. The man at the center of the documentary, Jussie Smollett, also reportedly sat for an interview.
“[The documentary tells the] shocking true story of an allegedly fake story that some now say might just be a true story,” the logline reads, according to Deadline. “Featuring interviews with police, lawyers, journalists, investigators who claim to have uncovered new evidence about the case, and with Jussie himself, this compelling documentary invites the audience to decide for themselves who is telling The Truth About Jussie Smollett?”
The documentary is set for release on August 22.
