On the heels of the release ofFraming Britney Spearsand the widespread conversation it ignited, Netflix has announced it will be making its ownBritneySpears-focused documentary for its platform. Directed bySamantha Stark,Framing Britney Spearspremiered on FX and FX on Hulu on February 5 as one of many installments in the ongoing"New York Times Presents"docuseries. Following its release,Framing Britney Spearsbecame the focus of a variety of discourse threads, including a re-examination of the way female celebrities are treated by the media and the legitimacy of Spears' conservatorship which is currently overseen by her father,Jamie Spears.
Earlier this week,Bloombergreported a new documentary about Spears is in the works from directorErin Lee Carrand, notably, has been in the works long beforeFraming Britney Spearspremiered. Carr is a seasoned director of true crime documentaries and is both an excellent and intriguing name to be attached to a project of this magnitude. Previously, Carr directed the HBO documentariesMommie Dead and DearestandI Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carteras well as an episode of the Netflix docuseriesDirty Money.
It is still unclear what angle Carr’s documentary will take on Spears. It will be interesting to see where the focus will go, be it solely on the questions and concerns around Spears' conservatorship or taking a wider view of the singer’s life, both past and present, as well as the conservatorship. Similarly unclear is whether Carr will be (or has been) granted the opportunity to speak with Spears, her father, or any member of the Spears family — somethingFraming Britney Spearsdidn’t manage despite putting out requests for interviews.
Having Carr’s incisive eye, which has been sharpened through true crime coverage, and sensitivity toward female-focused stories will be of great value for a new Spears documentary. This is especially true when it comes to ensuring this doc can stand apart fromFraming Britney Spears. This is certainly not the first time that Netflix and Hulu have gone head-to-head with competing docs on the same subject (see: the Fyre Festival documentariesFyre FraudandFyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened). What will be important in distinguishing Carr’s Netflix doc from the FX on Hulu Spears doc is the level of access and the angle it takes on Spears' current situation.
We’ll keep you posted as Netflix’s Britney Spears documentary develops. you’re able to watchFraming Britney Spearson Hulu now. For more, read ourreview ofFraming Britney Spearsfrom Collider’s own Gregory Lawrence.
