ESPN moves premiere of Michael Jordan documentary ‘The Last Dance’ to mid-April

Tuesday morning, the network announced that it indeed was moving up the series. Focused on the Bulls’ quest in 1998 for a sixth and final NBA championship during their dynastic run, the series will debut on April 19 and run on five successive Sunday nights, with two new episodes airing each of those nights through Sunday, May 17.

“As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience,” ESPN said in a statement. “We’ve heard the calls from fans asking us to move up the release date for this series, and we’re happy to announce that we’ve been able to accelerate the production schedule to do just that.

“This project celebrates one of the greatest players and dynasties ever, and we hope it can serve as a unifying entertainment experience to fill the role that sports often play in our lives, telling a story that will captivate everyone, not just sports fans.”

The series, which will feature interviews and a deep reservoir of behind-the-scenes footage with Jordan, Steve Kerr, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson, and other prominent Bulls and NBA figures, will be distributed internationally by Netflix beginning April 20. Other partners on the project include Jordan’s Jump 23 brand, NBA Entertainment, and Mandalay Sports Media.

Newton native Jason Hehir directed the series. His previous credits include “The ’85 Bears,’’ “Andre the Giant,” and “The Fab Five.”

“Michael Jordan and the ‘90s Bulls weren’t just sports superstars, they were a global phenomenon,” Hehir said in a statement. “Making ‘The Last Dance’ was an incredible opportunity to explore the extraordinary impact of one man and one team.

“For nearly three years, we searched far and wide to present the definitive story of an era-defining dynasty and to present these sports heroes as humans. I hope viewers enjoy watching our series as much as we enjoyed the opportunity to make it.”

When fans began lobbying ESPN earlier this month to release the project sooner, the network said it still needed to be finished.

But ESPN had offered recent clues that it was considering moving up the project. Promos in March had changed from saying the “The Last Dance” was coming soon rather than coming in June.