The pro wrestling documentary seriesDark Side of the Ringhas been such a hit for Vice TV that the network has ordered two spinoff shows. News of the spinoffs entering production comes after network EVP and General Manager Morgan Hertzan had previously revealed that there were plans to expand the franchise. Along with the third season ofDark Side of the Ringin 2021, the network now reveals that next year will also see the releases of the similar showsDark Side of the FootballandDark Side of the ’90s.
“We are thrilled to expand theDark Sidefranchise and take a harder look at the untold stories of two of our favorite cultural touchstones: football and ’90s nostalgia,” Hertzan said in a statement. “Both topics are rich with controversial characters, subjects, and events that are ripe for investigation.Dark Side of the Ringbeautifully lifts the veil on the most gripping stories in wrestling, and I cannot wait for audiences to see what we uncover in our next iterations.”
Produced byJailbirdsproducer 44 Blue Productions, the oddly-named spinoffDark Side of the Footballwill “shine a light on stories that live in the shadows ofAmerica’s favorite sport. It will explore the sometimes-flawed men behind the masks; the coaches, teams, and leagues who control their fates; and the untold story behind bizarre and tragic off-the-field events - facts that often have been hidden to shield fans from discovering unsettling truths about the game they love.”
Meanwhile,Dark Side of the ‘90swill delve into “the most captivating pop-culture moments, trends and personalities of the decade through interviews with people who studied the time period. Each episode will dissect the nostalgia, uncovering the surprising dark truths underlying the glitz, the glamour, and the headlines.“America’s Top Dogproducer Railsplitter Pictures andBattle of the Bladesproducer Insight Productions will be producing this one.
Dark Side of the Ringpremiered on Viceland in 2019 and was developed for television by Evan Husney and Jason Eisener. The show explores some of thedarkest and most tragic real-life storiesfrom behind the scenes of the pro wrestling business, with its freshman season touching on such topics as the murder of Bruiser Brody, the bizarre relationship between Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth, and the “Montreal Screwjob” that saw Bret Hart leave WWE in a very controversial fashion.
Because the show was an instant hit for the network,Dark Side of the Ringreturned to television this year with its second season. It was also bumped up to ten episodes over just six episodes for season 1, this time including stories about the extremely violent wrestler New Jack, the mysterious death of Jimmy Snuka’s ex-girlfriend, the tragic death of Owen Hart, and the murder-suicide of Chris Benoit and his family.
Season 3 ofDark Side of the Ringhasn’t yet been given a premiere date, but it will be even longer with 14 total episodes. Look for the show’s return along with the premieres ofDark Side of the FootballandDark Side of the ‘90sin 2021. This news was first reported byDeadline.
