Director Frank Marshall says his documentary Rachel, Breathe was pulled from ESPN2 shortly before it was supposed to air Sunday night due to a disagreement with the network over rights to the project.
“I’m sad to report that RACHEL, BREATHE, will not premiere on ESPN2 today,” Marshall posted on X on Sunday. “After several days of negotiations that should have been very simple and were not about money, but rights, the ESPN lawyers stopped talking to us an hour before broadcast and said, ‘sign it now or we are pulling the show’. I’m extremely disappointed for Rachel and John and entire team that spent 2 years making this film about hope, love and friendship. We remain genuinely excited for the day this documentary reaches the world, it is simply not tonight. And just like Rachel, we remain resilient and the moment I know where and when the premiere is, you will hear from me.”
Marshall directed and was a producer on the doc. According to a synopsis on The Kennedy/Marshall Company’s website: “Rachel, Breathe is an intimate exploration of the transformative power of running through the miraculous story of marathoner Rachel Foster. Five months after waking up from a coma no one expected her to emerge from, Rachel accomplished the unthinkable and completed the 2023 Boston Marathon. Despite the victory of that moment and feeling like she was on the path to a full recovery of her life as it was, new challenges arise. The film follows Rachel, now preparing to run the 2025 Boston Marathon as a reclamation of self, to prove that though her reality has changed, her essence remains the same. Interweaving Rachel’s journey to run Boston past and present, the film explores themes of loss, love, grit, friendship, redemption and transcendence.”
According to a previous X post by Marshall, the doc was scheduled to premiere at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2, with a repeat airing on April 20 following coverage of the 130th Boston Marathon. A search on the ESPN2 website does not generate any results, but a look at the YouTube TV listings shows the doc scheduled to air at 9:30 am PT on Monday.
Marshall produced along with Aly Parker, Tony Rosenthal and Joanna Forscher, the latter of whom is also credited as writer on the documentary.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to ESPN for comment.
