Watch Trailer

ESPN has released the official trailer for the next installment of its Peabody and Emmy award-winning 30 for 30 documentary film series, “Empire Skate,” which will premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival on June 12 and air on ESPN on June 30 at 9pm ET. Following its linear premiere, the film will be available to stream on ESPN+, as well as on Disney+ and Hulu for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle subscribers.

Directed by documentary filmmaker Josh Swade (“There’s No Place Like Home”, “One & Done”, “Arthur & Johnnie”, “Tiger Hood”, “24 Strong”, “When The Phog Lifted”, “Ricky Powell: The Individualist”), presented in association with TIME Studios, and produced by Subtext and Federal Films, “Empire Skate” chronicles the colorful rise and enduring influence of New York skateboarding culture–through the global phenomenon of Supreme–while highlighting intimate portraits of the characters who breathed life into that world. From the highs of breakout film success and the creation of a brand and movement, to the lows of fractured families and the loss of close friends, it is a style-and-substance trip through a unique moment when multiple trends converged on one city to create something timeless.

“Skate shops have always been sacred spaces for me—places of creativity, community, and culture,” said director Josh Swade. “When I moved to New York in the mid-90s, Supreme wasn’t just a store, it was a magnet for a movement that reshaped downtown and radiated far beyond. With ‘Empire Skate’, we wanted to honor that energy and tell the story of how a small skate shop helped fuel a global cultural shift. This film is as much about identity and expression as it is about skating, and I’m proud to help bring that story to the screen.”

The film features Tony Hawk, Alex Corporan, Steven Cales, Chris Keeffe, Jeff Pang, Mike Hernandez, Peter Bici, and Ryan Hickey. The full synopsis is detailed below.

“Empire Skate” tells the story of 1990’s New York City skate culture that inspired the global brand Supreme. It is the scene of a rare, energetic convergence of hip-hop, street art, dance, and culture. Kids who grew up in the 1980s as outsiders, going against the grain, bring their own element to this culture: skateboarding. Many of them fleeing hard lives of dysfunction and family desperation, they turn the forbidding landscape of the city into their own personal skate park – setting the stage for a movement that would grow to transform fashion and sports. 

While Southern California remains the mass-market capital of skateboarding, this New York City crew creates their own style. Bolstered by charismatic kids like Harold Hunter and enthusiastic entrepreneurs, fledgling skate shops begin to appear across the city. They tap into a NYC skating vibe that is faster, more dangerous, and more improvisational than its West Coast counterpart, and the style echoes that difference: SkateNYC and Zoo York set the tone for this rise, and then another brand is birthed that changes the scene forever. 

Supreme, fronted by the mysterious businessman James Jebbia, takes NYC by storm. Playing by its own rules of marketing, store design, and customer service (including refusing to serve those who don’t seem to fit its image and vibe), Supreme becomes a status symbol on the streets of Manhattan – and beyond. It becomes a global phenomenon, with buyers arriving from as far as Asia, pockets bursting with cash, eager to buy a piece of the lifestyle. 

The rise pulls the NYC skateboarding crew into other areas of pop culture. The Larry Clark and Harmony Korine indie film Kids is a surprise hit that features several NYC skateboarders including an aspiring young actor named Justin Pierce. They find themselves on a rocket ship of fame that is impossible to navigate, and Pierce commits suicide.  

Tragedy and camaraderie, changing trends in fashion and entertainment, and the constant evolution of culture continue to transform the NYC skateboarding landscape. Through it all, Supreme maintains a powerful hold, and those for whom skateboarding was an indispensable part of their lives, the bonds remain forever.

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About 30 for 30
The 30 for 30 series from ESPN develops, produces, and acquires premium, long-form documentary storytelling that explores the intersection of sports, culture, and history. Since its debut in 2009, 30 for 30 has produced more than 100 films, earning multiple Emmy, Peabody, and Academy Award® honors. Acclaimed titles include the Academy Award®-winning “OJ: Made in America”, the Peabody Award-winning “The Two Escobars”, and more. and more. Expanding beyond feature-length films and documentaries, the series also includes 30 for 30 Shorts, a series of documentary shorts that spotlight unique and untold sports stories, and 30 for 30 Podcasts, an audio documentary series that brings the franchise’s signature storytelling to the podcast space. With powerful narratives across multiple platforms, 30 for 30 continues to bring to life the most captivating stories in sports. 30 for 30 films and shorts can be seen on ESPN channels and ESPN+, as well as on Disney+ and Hulu for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle subscribers. 30 for 30 Podcasts are available to listen on all podcast platforms and 30for30podcasts.com.

Press Contacts
Garrett Cowan | garrett.cowan@espn.com
Jay Jay Nesheim | jayjay.nesheim@espn.com