Jay Z and Harvey Weinstein have found a network home for their miniseries about the killing of Trayvon Martin.
The rap mogul and the Hollywood power producer just announced Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, a six-part limited series for the Paramount Network (which is rebranding from its current name, Spike TV, next year).
“This is an important American story. We’re honored that Trayvon’s family has entrusted us to share the truth with the world,” said Jay Z a.k.a. Shawn Carter. “Thank you, again, to Paramount Network/Spike TV for being brave enough to partner with us and tell these complex narratives. It’s through these conversations that we can begin to heal.”
Martin was an unarmed 17-year old high school student shot and killed by a neighborhood watch member George Zimmerman, in the Florida community where they both lived. Zimmerman was acquitted on a second-degree murder charge after claiming he shot Martin in self-defense, sparking protests and outrage worldwide.
Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, released this statement: “We are humbled and excited to embark upon this new beginning with Shawn Carter, Harvey, and Paramount. We know this means a lot to this country. We continue to tell our story in order to unite people. We are very hopeful that this project will bring about a healthy and helpful conversation on the injustices that have divided society. That is also why we started the Trayvon Martin Foundation. We know as parents, that the third act of our son’s legacy is hope.”
Rest In Power: the Trayvon Martin Story will be based on two books: Lisa Bloom’s Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It and Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin.
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The order comes in the middle of a true crime TV trend that was kicked off by Netflix’s Making a Murderer and FX’s American Crime Story. The project marks the second collaboration between Carter and Weinstein, the first was TIME: The Kalief Browder Story, which concluded Wednesday night. “Our hope is to continue to inspire change and reform the way we are doing with Kalief’s story,” says Paramount/Spike TV’s senior vp of programming.
The Trayvon Martin miniseries will premiere in 2018.