Questlove Sly Stone Documentary Set on Hulu

After winning an Oscar for his 2021 directorial debut, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is gearing up to direct another black music history documentary return to the director’s chair. The multi-hyphenate is currently working on an untitled documentary about Sly and Family Stone frontman Sylvester Stewart, better known by his stage name Sly Stone. In addition to directing, Questlove will produce the film with Stewart and Brian Gersh.

The official synopsis for the untitled documentary reads: “Academy-winning filmmaker Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson directs his second documentary follow-up to ‘Summer of Soul’ and examines the life and legacy of Sly and the Family Stone, the seminal band from charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone. This film tells the story behind the rise, reign and disappearance of one of pop music’s most influential artists while telling a very human tale of the price of genius.”

Onyx Collective, a division of Disney focused on developing projects for filmmakers from underrepresented demographics, announced the project along with several other acquisitions for Hulu. The list also includes the music documentary Anthem by Kris Bowers and Sheba, a new Ethiopian-set drama series created by Yellowjackets writer Chantelle Wells and executive produced by Ryan Coogler.

Onyx Collective was formed in 2021 to diversify Hulu’s programming and give minority creators the support they need to get work done that exists outside of the conventional blockbuster ecosystem. Onyx Collective marked Summer of Soul early on in the festival circuit when it was still titled Black Woodstock, and helped propel it through a year-long Oscar campaign that ultimately resulted in a win for Best Documentary.

“Our industry is immeasurably enriched by the incredible talent of emerging and established color designers. The launch of Onyx Collective allows us to be the best partners for these creators, providing them with the support they need to do their best work,” said Dana Walden, chair of Disney General Entertainment Content, in a statement when the split was announced. “We have the opportunity to tell transformative stories that authentically represent our audience and are essential to our success.”

Registration: Stay up to date on the latest movie and TV news! Sign up for our email newsletter here.