Production
Disney+ ordered a pilot for the adaptation of the novel in May 2021, with Jalyn Hall and Amir O'Neil cast to star. [3] In June, Derek Luke, Sabrina Revelle, Skyla I'Lece, Deja Monique Cruz and Trevor Raine Bush were added to the cast. [4] The series was officially greenlit in January 2022, with LeBron James' production company SpringHill Entertainment joining the production. [5] In February, Daveed Diggs was cast to narrate the series. [6] In July, it was announced Darone Okolie, Gabriela Lopez, Joel Steingold, Himie Freeman, and Johnny Cantley were cast in recurring roles. [7] Yvonne Senat Jones would also join in a recurring role in October. [8] Filming began in June 2022. [9]
On January 13, 2023, it was announced that the series would premiere on April 5, 2023 on Disney+. It was originally slated to premiere on April 4, 2023 on Disney Channel, but the show was suddenly removed from their programming schedule for unknown reasons. [10] [11]
Reception
Critical response
Joel Keller of Decider stated, "The Crossover is a warm family dramedy with just enough of the drama part to keep us interested in following the Bells as they navigate life, school and hoops." [12] Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter complimented the performances of the cast and the emphasis on Afrocentric culture, writing, "The Crossover generates some satisfying emotional beats, blends its coming-of-age and adult storylines well and, as derivative as some of its individual pieces may feel, its overall voice is likably distinctive." [13] Joyce Slaton of Common Sense Media gave the series a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, praised the presence of positive messages and role models, citing hard work, family values, and social emotion learning, and complimented the diverse representations, asserting, "Family-friendly sports drama scores with heartfelt emotions." [14]
Accolades
The Crossover was nominated for Tweens/Teens Programming – Best New Series, [15] and won Tweens/Teens Programming – Best Inclusivity at the 2024 Kidscreen Awards. [16]
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