Five-part series from director R.J. Cutler chronicles inaugural competition
Amazon Prime Video is readying a five-part docuseries chronicling the inaugural Esports World Cup from Emmy-winning director R.J. Cutler.
Esports World Cup: Level Up will follow the competitors of the video games tournament compete for a $60m (£44.5m) prize pool, the largest in esports history.
The doc goes behind the scenes of the competition, which happened in 2024 and was a defining moment in the history of the sport. It is shot in verité style, combining intimate home visits with on-the-ground coverage from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and follows a wide cast of characters as the competition gets underway.
This includes Soka, a smack-talking extrovert from Oakland, Faker whose celebrity in South Korea rivals K-pop bands and the CEO of Ukrainian Club Yevhen Zolotarov who is fighting for the friends and family he left behind.
Level Up is produced by Cutler’s Sony Pictures Television-owned This Machine and will premiere on 6 June Prime Video, with new episodes released weekly. Cutler, who will helm the series, has previously directed high-profile titles including last year’s Disney+ feature Elton John: Never Too Late, Apple TV+’s Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry and ABC drama Nashville. He was exec producer on Emmy-winning Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.
John Dorsey serves as showrunner for the series with Jane Cha Cutler, Trevor Smith, Elise Pearlstein and Mark Blatt as executive producers.
“Level Up isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible” said Cutler.
“Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60m, but who also expose their humanity in the process.”
Esports World Cup: Level Up will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
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