America’s Cup signs ‘Top Gun’ producer for 2024 documentary

America’s Cup and media company Skydance Sports are partnering to produce an all-access, behind-the-scenes documentary series on the 37th edition of the America’s Cup in 2024.

Skydance’s films include the box office record-breaking Top Gun: Maverick, The Adam Project, The Tomorrow War and The Old Guard. In total, Skydance’s films have earned more than US$7 billion at the worldwide box office. 

Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the Academy Award-winning directors of the 2018 documentary Free Solo, will executive produce under their Little Monster Films banner, alongside their Academy Award-winning Free Solo producer Evan Hayes and his Anomaly Content & Entertainment (ACE) production company, with David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold and Jon Weinbach of Skydance.

For the first time ever, all the teams competing in the quadrennial sailing event will allow never-before-seen access into their preparations and execution of the race, and the documentary series will showcase the people and the drama – on and off the water – throughout the competition.

The 37th America’s Cup will take place in September and October 2024, in Barcelona. The event’s defending champions, Emirates Team New Zealand, who have won four Cups since 1995, will be challenged by teams including United States, American Magic; Great Britain, INEOS Britannia; Italy, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli; and Switzerland, Alinghi Red Bull Racing.

Vasarhelyi and Chin (pictured left) say: “We love bringing epic stories to life in an emotional way. Great feats of human potential allow the exploration of deep and meaningful character journeys. You don’t need to be a climber to love Free Solo. Our approach to telling the story of the 37th America’s Cup will be no different. This series is not just for sailing fans; it’s a universal tale of perseverance, obsession, rivalry, and teamwork.”

Grant Dalton, America’s Cup CEO says: “Over the past couple of decades, both the America’s Cup and the media environment have evolved and matured significantly. The America’s Cup is one of the few global sporting events that has played out each edition with very little public understanding of what actually goes on nor the true extent of the talented people or innovation involved. To have the ability to partner with Skydance, Jimmy, Chai and their production team to tell these stories is an amazing opportunity for the growth of the event and the sport of sailing.”

Jon Weinbach, President of Skydance Sports says: “The America’s Cup is one of the world’s great sports treasures – an authentically historic event with incredibly dynamic characters, rivalries, action and global scope. This is an enormously exciting project for Skydance Sports, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Jimmy, Chai, Evan and the teams to create a significant and memorable series.”

Hayes, who also produced the award-winning 2021 documentary Becoming Cousteau, says: “I grew up sailing and have long been fascinated with the America’s Cup, one of the greatest international competitions in history. The America’s Cup is spectacular in every way. The human drama is intense, the scale is epic, and these boats have never raced faster.

“As the America’s Cup has evolved, so has the untapped potential in telling the stories behind the Cup, as well as showcasing the racing itself. When I first discussed this opportunity with Skydance and my friends Chai & Jimmy, I knew that they would make for an epic team to tell the story of the 37th America’s Cup. This is a dream come true project for me, and also presents a unique opportunity for streaming platforms.”