The next documentary from ESPN Films’ Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series will be “The Prince of Pennsylvania,” premiering Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Directed by Jesse Vile, the film examines John du Pont and his Foxcatcher Farm wrestling program that ended with the fatal shooting of Olympian Dave Schultz.
Back in the 1980s, the road to the Olympics was long and hard for an amateur wrestler. But then along came John du Pont, an eccentric heir to the family fortune with a passion for wrestling. His 800-acre Foxcatcher Farm outside Philadelphia became the hub of the sport, with state-of-the-art training facilities, free accommodations, generous stipends and the support of America’s best freestyle wrestlers, brothers Mark and Dave Schultz. It all seemed too good to be true – and tragically it was, with a savage ending.
“The Prince of Pennsylvania” is the tale of a paradise lost to the madness of its creator, a man who had the means to buy anything except for the one thing he truly wanted. Vile explores this story through fresh testimonials and never-before-seen footage that will give viewers a unique look at the darker side of athletic ambition.
“Growing up as a kid in the Philadelphia area, the story of John du Pont and his Foxcatcher wrestling team was one of the most peculiar and terrifyingly weird local stories I’d ever heard,” says director Jesse Vile. “It was something that had fascinated me for many years and it’s a story I’ve always wanted to tell.”