February 15, 2026
‘The Baddest Speechwriter of All,’ co-directed by Ben Proudfoot and Stephen Curry, spotlights civil rights determine Dr. Clarence B. Jones.
A brief documentary highlighting the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s longtime adviser and speechwriter has been picked up by Netflix following its award-winning debut at Sundance, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“The Baddest Speechwriter of All,” a 29-minute movie centered on Dr. Clarence B. Jones, will premiere on the streaming platform later this 12 months, based on The Hollywood Reporter. The documentary just lately earned the Brief Movie Grand Jury Prize on the Sundance Movie Competition and is already being considered as a possible contender within the documentary quick class at subsequent 12 months’s Academy Awards.
The mission is co-directed by two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot — acknowledged for “The Queen of Basketball” and “The Final Restore Store” — and NBA star Stephen Curry, who makes his directorial debut with the movie. Via a mix of up to date interviews, historic footage and watercolor animation created by Brazilian artist Daniel Bruson, the documentary traces Jones’ function through the Civil Rights Motion and displays on the private sacrifices that accompanied that work.
Now 95, Jones recounts his experiences working carefully with King and contributing to among the motion’s most pivotal moments.
Proudfoot, who produced the movie by way of his firm Breakwater Studios and is represented by UTA, emphasised Jones’ distinctive historic perspective. “This can be a man who not solely witnessed however personally formed the Civil Rights Motion from the within,” Proudfoot mentioned. He added that he and Curry stay energized by the reception at Sundance and are grateful that “hundreds of thousands of individuals will expertise Dr. Jones’ electrifying testimony due to this extraordinary partnership with Netflix.”
Curry and producer Erick Peyton, who labored on the mission below their Unanimous Media banner, additionally welcomed the acquisition. “We couldn’t be extra excited that ‘The Baddest Speechwriter of All’ has discovered a house with Netflix,” they mentioned in a joint assertion. They added that Jones’ life story “has lengthy deserved this degree of attain and recognition” and expressed appreciation for the artistic staff behind the movie.
The documentary’s government producers embrace Elizabeth Goodstein and Gigi Pritzker for Madison Wells, together with Peter Rotter and Jane Solomon. Brandon Somerhalder served as cinematographer, with enhancing by Nick Wright and Tim Johnson and an authentic rating composed by Cameron Moody. UTA Unbiased Movie Group and WME Unbiased represented the sale.
With Netflix’s world platform, the filmmakers say Jones’ voice — and his reflections on a defining chapter in American historical past — will attain audiences worldwide.
