The Rock making a huge new show; will feature Dark Side of the Ring's Vice TV
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is having another monumental year. His latest announcement is for a new, must-see project for pro wrestling fans. This looks to be a blockbuster collaboration as Vice TV and the Dark Side of the Ring crew are also involved. The Rock and his partners have issued new comments and previews.
A new wrestling series was announced back in August 2022 with The Rock's Seven Bucks Productions partnering with Vice TV, Vice Studios Canada, and Dark Side's Evan Husney and Jason Eisener. Tales from The Territories aired as a 10-episode series from October 4 - December 6, 2022. Several other people worked on the project, including a former WWE head writer - Brian Gewirtz, who is also the Senior Vice President of Creative Development at Seven Bucks.
It was then revealed in November 2023 that The Rock and Seven Bucks was partnering with Vice Studios for a "docuseries investigating the mysterious demise of World Championship Wrestling (WCW), once the biggest wrestling company in America." No other details were provided, but the official title for the new project was just announced - Who Killed WCW?
The new WCW project is set to premiere on Tuesday, June 4 at 10 pm ET, exclusively on Vice TV. The network touted this as its second collaboration with The Rock and Dany Garcia of Seven Bucks. Who Killed WCW? was billed as a "groundbreaking docuseries" that will dive "deep into the history, rise, and ultimate demise" of WCW, mentioned as one of the most influential promotions in wrestling history.
The 4-part series reportedly features never-before-seen footage. The trailer above confirms that there is also new footage with The Rock, Booker T, Alundra Blayze, Diamond Dallas Page, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, Bill Goldberg, Bret Hart, and Kevin Nash, among others.
The Rock speaks on new WCW project with Vice TV
Vice TV and Seven Bucks Productions have announced that their 4-part unscripted series, Who Killed WCW?, will premiere on June 4 at 10 pm ET.
The Rock, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz of Seven Bucks will serve as Executive Producers. Vice TV's Evan Husney, Lee Hoffman, and Jason Eisener are also involved, along with others from the networks. The Vice trio previously collaborated with Seven Bucks on the Tales from Territories docuseries, and they created the popular Dark Side of the Ring.
The story of WCW and the Monday Night Wars has been told numerous times over the years, but The Final Boss believes now is the perfect time to cover top-quality wrestling stories. The Rock also name-dropped a WWE DVD from 2009 - The Rise and Fall of WCW.
"The iconic rise and fall of WCW is one of professional wrestling’s most captivating stories – full of big dreams, massive successes, painful failures, and the harsh realities of the pro wrestling business. With wrestling viewership and fan engagement at an ultimate high, there has never been a more perfect time to tell top-quality wrestling stories, and there’s no better one to start with than a one-of-a-kind, behind-the-scenes look at this epic saga, known as The Rise and Fall of WCW and personally, the rise of WCW (not the fall) inspired me greatly early in my career where I would eventually become, The Final Boss," said The Rock in the Vice TV press release.
Dany touted the new WCW project as more than just any other project as this is an opportunity to show just how good they are in a world they're very familiar with - pro wrestling. The Seven Bucks co-founder also gave a nod to the network for their storytelling.
"Diving into the saga of WCW is not just another project for us; it is an opportunity to highlight our talents as documentary storytellers in a world where we have historical credibility and knowledge: professional wrestling. This project allows us to build a bridge between the passionate global wrestling audience and those curious about an often-misunderstood industry, strengthened by our partnership with a dedicated storyteller in VICE TV," said Dany Garcia.
Peter Gaffney declared that the network is lucky to join forces with Seven Bucks again. Vice TV's Interim President boasted about how they now have unparalleled access to one of the great stories of modern pro wrestling, and Vice couldn't wait for their audience to see it come to life. The official series synopsis offers another sneak peek.
"Who Killed WCW? promises to explore the complex factors that led to the promotion's downfall, including management challenges, creative decisions, and the intense competition during the infamous Monday Night Wars. Featuring exclusive, in-depth interviews with wrestlers, executives, and insiders, the series will shed light never seen before on the personal stories and struggles of those who lived through the rise and fall of WCW," Vice wrote.
The fifth season of Dark Side of the Ring is currently airing. The series has been a big success for Vice TV, and has led to four spin-offs. Executives once referred to the series as a "mega-hit" as it was Viceland's highest-rated series premiere among viewers in the key demographics.