AMC NETWORKS GREENLIGHTS "GOLD RUSH" (WT), A SPORTS DOCUSERIES FROM AMC STUDIOS, SKYDANCE SPORTS, NFL FILMS AND RELIGION OF SPORTS ON THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ers' ICONIC TEAMS OF THE '80S AND EARLY '90S
Series Featuring Never-Before-Seen Footage and Incisive Interviews with Club Legends and Tom Brady Set for 2026 Premiere on AMC and AMC+
NEW YORK, NY - April 9, 2025 - AMC Networks today announced that it has greenlit the sports docuseries Gold Rush (WT), an AMC Studios and Skydance Sports co-production with producing partners NFL Films, Religion of Sports (ROS) and Tom Brady (for both ROS and 199 Productions). The four-episode series will explore the dramatic and iconic run of the San Francisco 49ers' during the '80s and early '90s, when the club rose from an also-ran into pro football's most glamorous franchise. The series is set to premeire exclusively on AMC and AMC+ in 2026.
Utilizing rare and never-before-seen footage from NFL Films, including video of team speeches and behind-the-scenes photos of San Francisco's legendary head coach Bill Walsh, the series will feature incisive interviews with club legends (and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees) such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young and Eddie DeBartolo Jr., among others. Each episode will also feature on-camera contributions from Brady, a San Mateo, CA native and life-long 49ers fan.
During the "Gold Rush" reign from 1981 to 1995, San Francisco won five Super Bowls and revolutionized the sport, on and off the field. The club also became a cultural unifier at a time of tectonic shifts in the Bay Area, as the region emerged as "Silicon Valley," was nearly destroyed by an earthquake, and became well-known for its wine, LGBT advocacy and music scene.
The series will be directed by ROS co-founder Gotham Chopra and Ken Rodgers of NFL Films, who have each won multiple Emmys for their work and have collaborated previously on several high-profile projects, including Man in the Arena, the 2021 ESPN series about Brady's singular career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and The Great Brady Heist, which aired on FOX. The series showrunners will be Ryan Kelly (The Great Brady Heist) and Nick Mascolo (30 for 30: The Tuck Rule) of NFL Films. The series' executive producers are Jesse Sisgold, Jason Reed and Jon Weinbach from Skydance Sports, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers and Jessica Boddy from NFL Films, and Chopra, Brady and Ameeth Sankaran from ROS.
"This is a docuseries that has the stakes, storylines and scale to stand alongside our scripted dramas in the best way possible," said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. "What an opportunity to bring these remarkable championship seasons back to life in a way that could only be possible with this dream team of producing partners. We've seen some incredibly entertaining and authoritative sports documentaries in recent years, and we will do that proud history justice with a series worthy of this team, this city, these unforgettable personalities and one of football's most storied dynasties."
"The 49ers Dynasty changed everything," said Ken Rodgers, NFL Films executive producer. "In between the Super Bowl victories by Green Bay and Pittsburgh in the 60's and 70's, and the high-flying victories by the Cowboys and Patriots in the 90's and 2000's, the NFL was changed forever by San Francisco's performance on the field and their approach to the sport off the field. Thanks to our partners at AMC, Skydance Sports and Religion of Sports, we finally get to tell the story of the dynasty that created the modern NFL."
"The '80s 49ers are the flashpoint for the NFL as we know it today," said Gotham Chopra, co-founder and Executive Producer at Religion of Sports. "The coaching brilliance, the superstar players, the corporate ambition and cunningness - that's pretty much every team in the modern NFL and corporate America at large. This is a cultural allegory bigger than football and there are no better partners than AMC, Skydance, NFL Films and my friend Ken Rodgers to tell it with."
About AMC Networks
AMC Networks (Nasdaq: AMCX) is home to many of the greatest stories and characters in TV and film and the premier destination for passionate and engaged fan communities around the world. The company creates and curates celebrated series and films across distinct brands and makes them available to audiences everywhere. Its portfolio includes targeted streaming services AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, ALLBLK and HIDIVE; cable networks AMC, BBC AMERICA (operated through a joint venture with BBC Studios, which includes U.S. distribution and sales responsibilities for BBC News), IFC, SundanceTV and WE tv; and film distribution labels IFC Films and RLJE Films. The company also operates AMC Studios, its in-house studio, production and distribution operation behind acclaimed and fan-favorite originals including The Walking Dead Universe and the Anne Rice Immortal Universe; and AMC Networks International, its international programming business.
About Skydance Sports
Skydance Sports, the joint venture between the NFL and Skydance, has quickly become the preeminent studio for leagues, teams, elite athletes and A-List Hollywood talent seeking to produce premium, sports-related entertainment.
Initially launched in 2021, the studio's first two projects include the Sports Emmy-nominated docuseries Good Rivals and the critically acclaimed film Air which received two Golden Globe Award nominations including "Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy." In 2022, Skydance partnered with the NFL and NFL Films on a joint venture to significantly expand multi-platform programming across sports in a broad range of formats for partners, fans, and viewers around the world. The partnership's projects include the upcoming docuseries America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' dynasty and franchise owner Jerry Jones, a documentary feature Elway, and a docuseries on tennis icon Rafael Nadal for Netflix, as well as the Hallmark Christmas movie Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story, a docuseries on the Kansas City Chiefs with ESPN, and a scripted series for Hulu written and executive produced by Dan Fogelman set inside the world of the NFL. Recently released projects include Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, Freediver, Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants and the Sports Emmy-nominated NFL Draft: The Pick Is In and Kelce.
About Religion of Sports
Religion of Sports (ROS) is an award-winning media company founded by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra. A diverse creative collective, ROS delivers thoughtful, elevated stories that explore a range of themes and uncover why sports matter. Since its inception in 2017, the Los Angeles-based company has built an impressive array of work in collaboration with the world's most beloved athletes and figures. ROS produces content that is intimate, personal, and character driven. Rooted in the power of storytelling, ROS's mission has grown beyond sports to spotlighting artists and innovators across music, spirituality, fashion, and more. Through scripted and unscripted video, podcasts, feature films and social content, ROS distills the spirituality, science and humanity that unites elite performers and people of all kinds.
About NFL Films
NFL Films is widely recognized as the most honored filmmaker in sports and continues to produce innovative franchises and documentaries across multiple networks and platforms. With 138 Sports Emmy Awards to its credit, NFL Films remains a gold standard in premium sports content, providing an elevated and connected viewer experience with unprecedented access to the athlete story. NFL Films is a part of NFL Media, the owned and operated media division of the National Football League, which is comprised of NFL Network, NFL Films, the NFL App, NFL.com, NFL+ and NFL RedZone. For more information on NFL Films, visit NFLFilms.com.
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