Travis Kelce‘s latest venture outside the gridiron made some news this weekend. A Kelce executive-produced documentary, Jean-Michel Basquiat, has been acquired for distribution post its world premiere. The documentary about the legendary street artist had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 5th. It was subsequently acquired for distribution by Netflix.

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s rise to fame was as rapid as it was remarkable. After making a name for himself in New York City’s street art scene, he quickly became one of the art world’s brightest stars in the mid-1980s. Though his life was tragically cut short by an accidental overdose at only 27, his influence has only grown with time. Today, his paintings fetch record-breaking prices at auction.

It is also the first documentary approved by the Basquiat Estate. The artist’s sisters, Jeanine Heriveaux and Lisane Basquiat, also served as executive producers. There have been five films made on Basquiat before this. Four docs, including this latest one and one scripted feature released in 1996.

The documentary marks the feature directorial debut of Quinn Whitney Wilson alongside co-director Viridiana Lieberman.

“Jean-Michel Basquiat’s legacy is undeniable,” the directors said as part of the acquisition statement. “We see his art everywhere, from the most historical museums to the clothing moving through the streets. Yet the myth and the man are not the same across the decades.”

With this film, the directors wanted to present a fuller picture of Basquiat, a multifaceted, powerful individual whose impact extended far beyond the narratives that have come to define him. They agreed that in their view, there is no better partner than Netflix, whose global platform can help bring that story to audiences around the world.

For Kelce, the Netflix acquisition represents another milestone in an entertainment career that has steadily expanded beyond the football field in recent years.

Jean-Michel Basquiat documentary joins Travis Kelce’s expanding producing portfolio

While Kelce has not publicly shared what specifically attracted him to the project, its scope and prestige align closely with the type of productions he has been building as he expands his career as a producer. His earlier film as an exec producer, My Friend Zoe, was also a festival-pedigreed, critically acclaimed film. Zoe has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival.

Both projects share ties to producer Ray Maiello and Radiant Media Studios. So, based on this relationship, we can probably assume that Maiello is playing a key role in guiding Kelce’s taste profile in Hollywood.

Kelce is represented by A&A Management Group, a firm that works with athletes and talent across media, entertainment, business, and philanthropy. The approach reflects a broader shift among modern athletes, who increasingly view themselves as entrepreneurs and content creators in addition to competitors.

With his management and producing partners, Kelce has accumulated some really interesting and sophisticated projects in his short producing career so far. A far cry from his exuberant and colorful personality on the field. As his playing career comes to a sunset soon, it will be really interesting to see his filmmaking career continue to play out.