Netflix Debuts First Look at Vince McMahon Documentary


Netflix has been working on a documentary about WWE founder Vince McMahon for four years. Over that period, the story’s ending kept changing, as McMahon stepped down from WWE after reports surfaced of hush money he’d paid to former employees over alleged sexual misconduct. Then McMahon engineered his return to the company and merged it with UFC in a massive business deal. Then McMahon was sued by a former employee who accused him of sex trafficking and harassment, prompting McMahon to reign from the merged UFC/WWE company, seemingly for good.

Now, finally, the miniseries, titled Mr. McMahon has been finished and is ready to premiere. How much the doc will address and examine these allegations is not clear — although the new trailer for the series does mention them. (Netflix does have a financial stake in the future of WWE; they will begin airing the company’s weekly wrestling show, Monday Night Raw, in 2025.)

The film does contain interviews with McMahon, along with WWE stars like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, among others. You can watch the full trailer below:

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Mr. McMahon was directed by Chris Smith, whose documentaries include American MovieFyre, and Wham! He was also a producer of Netflix’s hugely popular Tiger King. Smith told Tudum that “over the four years of production, the story evolved in truly shocking ways, culminating in some extremely harrowing allegations. The final product is a revealing documentary that we believe offers a rich and nuanced portrait of the man and the complex legacy he left behind.”

Here is the Vince McMahon miniseries’ official synopsis:

Mr. McMahon chronicles the rise and fall of Vince McMahon, controversial businessman and co-founder of WWE. From his transformation of the WWE from a small, regional business into a global entertainment powerhouse to the explosive sexual misconduct allegations that led to his eventual resignation, this six-episode series offers a deep dive into McMahon’s life and his enduring franchise. Culled from over 200 hours of interviews with McMahon himself (prior to his resignation), his family members, business associates and some of the most iconic names in wrestling history, as well as the journalists who uncovered McMahon’s allegations — filmmaker Chris Smith (Tiger King) and executive producer Bill Simmons (30 for 30) present an unflinching, no-holds-barred look at one of the most enigmatic figures in sports entertainment.

Mr. McMahon premieres on Netflix on September 25. All six episodes of the miniseries will be available on that date.

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