“Love is a gamble and I’m so glad I win,” sings Luther Vandross in his 1981 classic “Never Too Much,” a line that has special meaning today.
CNN Films and OWN have picked up Dawn Porter’s Sundance Film Festival debut Luther: Never too much documentary, was announced today at the Warner Bros Discovery Upfront in NYC. The 101-minute film, whose EPs include Colin Firth and had Sony Music Entertainment as a distribution partner, is set to debut next year on CNN, OWN and streamer MAX.
“I am thrilled to once again partner with CNN Films and OWN to bring this film to audiences,” director Porter said Wednesday. “Luther’s music is timeless, his legacy is unmatched and we can’t wait for all of his fans new and old to experience his brilliance.”
“CNN Films has a long tradition of showing audiences intimate portraits of their favorite musicians, and Dawn has created a beautiful tribute to Luther Vandross,” Amy Entelis, EVP of Talent, CNN Originals and Creative Development, said today. “It is an honor to work with her and our partners at OWN again to celebrate Luther’s enduring legacy and iconic songbook.”
Featuring interviews with Vandross fans Jamie Foxx and Mariah Carey, among others, the world premiere on January 21st is both a musical journey and a personal odyssey of one of the greatest singers of our time. A jingle singer and heavy collaborator with David Bowie on the soul and R&B-fused 1975 album Young Americans, Vandross worked with artists such as Roberta Flack and Bette Midler and also had a chart-topping solo career. Vandross died in 2005 at the far too young age of 54.
“Porter creates a portrait that strikes a delicate, graceful balance,” noted Deadline’s Valerie Complex Never too much review just before the film opened to applause and music in Park City earlier this year. “With interviews and artist commentary, Porter steps back and gives the Grammy winner the autonomy to narrate his career.”
“I wanted Luther to tell his own story as much as possible,” he said John Lewis: Good problem Helmer said in January at the Deadline Studio at Sundance. “That’s why it was such a gift to have all these archives.”
In addition to the John Lewis documentary that aired on CNN a few years ago, Trilogy Films founder Porter has also worked on projects on various topics such as the Supreme Court, Lady Bird Johnson, the Tulsa Race Massacre, RFK and White Man House directed by photographer Pete Souza.
With Porter as director and EP behind the camera, Luther: Never too much is produced by Trish D. Chetty and Ged Doherty for Raindog Films; Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner for Foxxhole Productions; and Leah Smith for Trilogy Films. Executive producers are Colin Firth for Raindog Films; Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman for Sony Pictures Television Non-Fiction; Tom Mackay and Richard Story for Sony Music Entertainment; and Jon Platt and Brian Monaco for Sony Music Publishing. Phil Thornton also serves as executive producer.