Tony Hawk’s “life-changing” Pro Skater series is getting a documentary

Brad Norton

Tony Hawk’s unmistakable Pro Skater franchise is set to receive an official documentary 20 years after the beloved series burst onto the scene.

Tony Haw’s Pro Skater first launched on the PlayStation in 1999 and through a number of sequels and various iterations, the series has left an indelible mark on the gaming industry and skating culture as a whole.

Honoring the legacy of the franchise, a former producer took it upon himself to craft an official documentary reflecting on the hallmark video games.

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Set to premiere on February 29 at the Mammoth Film Festival in California, both Tony Hawk and fellow skateboarding legend Rodney Mullen will be in attendance to watch the very first screening of the documentary.

Titled ‘Pretending I’m a Superman,’ the documentary takes its name from lyrics in Goldfinger’s ‘Superman’ track that featured in the first release.

Having been in the works since 2017, the crowd-funded feature-length release goes in-depth with a number of key developers from the now-defunct Neversoft studio as well as various skating legends, including the man himself, Tony Hawk.

The Neversoft team that developed Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2.

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Promoting the premiere throughout a February 20 interview with Good Day LA, the 51-year-old skater outlined how the gaming franchise truly “changed [his] life.”

“That game is a big reason why I’m still here, why people still know who I am,” he expressed.

Not only did the series help popularize skating culture around the world, but it was also one of the most lucrative endeavors for the iconic athlete at the time.

“When the fourth game was released,” his contact at Activision “handed [him] a cheque for four million dollars,” he recounted during a 2018 episode of ‘The Nine Club With Chris Roberts.’

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Tickets are still available to attend the premiere if you’re in the area and want the chance to see a unique behind the scenes look at what went into making the franchise.

Attendees can also expect a live performance from ‘The Downhill Jam,’ a cover band that specializes in the Pro Skater soundtracks.

About The Author

Brad Norton is the Australian Managing Editor at Dexerto. He graduated from Swinburne University with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and has been working full-time in the field for the past six years at the likes of Gamurs Group and now Dexerto. He loves all things single-player gaming (with Uncharted a personal favorite) but has a history on the competitive side having previously run Oceanic esports org Mindfreak. You can contact Brad at brad.norton@dexerto.com