Three diverse concepts will be getting the HBO Documentary Films treatment and will likely roll out sometime in mid to late 2026. We look one by one here at a project from a top producer, a famous Orca, and a memorable musical group. We lead off with the –
Next RONAN FARROW Project
HBO Documentary Films, World of Wonder, and Ronan Production Group are currently in production on a documentary, not yet titled, that follows years of immersive reporting by Pulitzer Prize-winning and Emmy-nominated journalist Ronan Farrow. The film chronicles a maze of revelations about Sean Williams of Johnson City, TN, a serial predator, tracing both his decades-long evasion of justice and an ensuing scandal over claims of corruption and systemic law enforcement failures.
The film, directed and produced by Emmy-winning filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (HBO’s “SMALL TOWN NEWS, CARRIE FISHER: WISHFUL DRINKING and produced by Ronan Farrow (HBO’s “SURVEILLED, “CATCH AND KILL: THE PODCAST TAPES), will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
The documentary will feature exclusive access to the subjects at the heart of the story, including Kat Dahl (pictured above with Farrow), a determined federal prosecutor who was dismissed after investigating the case. Seeking accountability on behalf of the women and children Williams allegedly targeted and wider exposure for the story, Dahl reached out to Farrow, who went on to publish the first in-depth national reporting on the Williams case in The New Yorker earlier this year. Together with the film team, he continues to chronicle the story as it unfolds and through the accounts of survivors, their attorneys, families, community members, and Sean Williams himself, the convicted perpetrator at the center of the ongoing case.
KEIKO
HBO Documentary Films and Raw (“Three Identical Strangers,” “Don’t F*ck With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer”) are currently in production on a multi-part documentary series about the real life Free Willy whale named Keiko. The series, directed by Becky Read (“’Twas the Fight Before Christmas,” executive producer on “The Greatest Night in Pop”), will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
The untitled documentary series tells the story of Keiko, the captive male orca who, after appearing in the blockbuster 1993 film Free Willy, was propelled into an extraordinary yet controversial journey that spanned across Mexico, the U.S., Iceland, and Norway. With exclusive access to never-before-seen archives and through the stories of those who worked closely with him, the documentary examines the unprecedented international effort to return Keiko to his home waters.
Becky Read states, “I’m delighted to be partnering with HBO and Raw on this rich, complex story about our relationship to the natural world. I’m excited to bring some new voices to the screen to tell the story of Keiko’s life and chronicle a remarkable human endeavor by a group sometimes divided over the goal, but united by their good intentions.”
EARTH, WIND & FIRE
HBO Documentary Films has joined the production of a new untitled documentary film project about Earth, Wind & Fire from Academy Award and GRAMMY winner Questlove (“Summer of Soul”). The film from Fifth Season is produced by RadicalMedia, Two One Five Entertainment, Broken Halo Entertainment, and Word Is Bond in association with Sony Music Vision. It will debut in the United States in 2026 on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
The film examines the iconic group’s lasting legacy, cultural impact, and enduring body of work, and features exclusive access to the band’s archives of visual, audio, and written material. Earth, Wind & Fire’s music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide. The band was formed by Maurice White, and main players over the years included Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Roland Bautista, Robert Brookins, Sonny Emory, Ronnie Laws, Sheldon Reynolds, and Andrew Woolfolk, and featured a horn section like no other.
Questlove is quoted as saying, “I’m honored to tell the story of Earth, Wind & Fire and the deep meaning behind their message and music. To grow up listening to the music is one thing, but to be handed the keys to the kingdom of preserving history is another. I can’t imagine a better platform on which to share this documentary with U.S. audiences than HBO.”
Who wants to bet this documentary rolls around in September of ‘2026? We will check out these entries whenever they debut on HBO and HBO Max.
