Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Teams With Vice, ‘Dark Side of the Ring’ Team for Territory Wrestling Docuseries

Joe Otterson

Vice TV is expanding its pro wrestling docuseries offerings with a new show from the “Dark Side of the Ring” team and Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions.

The series is titled “Tales from the Territories” and will delve into the time in wrestling when the industry was divided into smaller, territory based organizations. The new series will debut Oct. 4 at 10 p.m. ET. Watch a new trailer for the show below.

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“The wrestling business is filled with nuanced relationships and there’s a phenomenal history that we know fans are going to enjoy,” said Brian Gewirtz, senior vice president of creative development for Seven Bucks Productions and former head writer at WWE. “In many ways the wrestling world is a family, they have great moments, tough times and everything in-between. There’s a rich history of untold stories which we can’t wait to bring to life.”

Per the official description of the show, the territory days were the time before wrestling expanded nationally, when different areas across the US and Canada, aka “Territories,” were areas dominated by unscrupulous bookers, rabid fans who fervently believed in their favorite characters and fearless wrestlers who blurred the lines between fiction and reality both inside and outside the ring.

Legendary figures from the territories will appear in the series, which will also feature re-enactments similar to “Dark Side of the Ring.”

“Tales from the Territories is a project that peels back the curtain on the fascinating, complex history of an industry we admire greatly,” said Hiram Garcia, president of production for Seven Bucks Productions. “Wrestling is embedded into Dwayne’s DNA and part of the brand ethos of our Seven Bucks Productions, so we are honored to showcase these sensational stories and to create a time-capsule of this legendary industry. Being able to honor, and highlight the larger-than-life personas that jump-started the wrestling industry, through their first-hand accounts, is immensely special, and the type of storytelling we love to do here at Seven Bucks.”

Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Gewirtz will executive produce for Seven Bucks Productions along with “Dark Side of the Ring” co-executive producers and co-creators Evan Husney and Jason Eisener. Vanessa Case and Guillermo Garcia executive produce from Vice Studios Canada along withg Catherine Whyte and Lee Hoffman for Vice TV. Chavo Guerrero Jr. will serve as co-executive producer. The series will be distributed worldwide by Vice Distribution.

“We’re incredibly excited to expand the ‘Dark Side of the Ring’ series with this first-ever exploration of the hidden past of wrestling’s Wild West era, with a dream collaborator in Dwayne Johnson, who has such deep family roots in the history of the business” said Husney and Eisener. “We can’t wait to showcase the fascinating stories of the pioneers who set the stage for wrestling’s worldwide pop culture dominance.”

“Dark Side of the Ring,” which aired its third season in 2021, proved to be incredibly popular for Vice. The show remains Vice TV’s most-watched series of all time. It has since spawned the spinoffs “Dark Side of Football” and “Dark Side of the 90s.”

“We’re incredibly honored that Dwayne Johnson felt that Vice TV was the right place for him to chronicle the deeply personal stories of his wrestling family and community, the spectacular craft that introduced us to the Hollywood megastar we all know and love today,” said Morgan Hertzan, executive vice president and general manager of Vice TV.

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