30 for 30 Debuts New Trailer for "The Good, The Bad, The Hungry" Airing July 2 on ESPN

Documentary Explores Rivalry between Competitive Eaters Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi

The next installment in ESPN Films' award-winning 30 for 30 series will be "The Good, The Bad, The Hungry," premiering Tuesday, July 2, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Directed by Nicole Lucas Haimes, "The Good, The Bad, The Hungry" tells the eye and mouth-opening tale of Takeru Kobayashi, the native of Nagano, Japan, who won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest six consecutive times, and Joey Chestnut, the Californian who emerged to dethrone the Japanese legend in 2007 and became the face of the sport. Trailer: https://es.pn/30RcC0T

It's a story that at times is both outrageous and poignant, exploring the origins of the careers of Kobayashi and Chestnut, every bite of their head-to-head battles, as well as the no-holds-barred promotional efforts of Major League Eating, the organization that oversees the contest. It may well be a sport like no other - but as the film reveals, the competition, and how it changed the lives of these two men forever, was as real as anything you'll ever see on a field of play.

"In making 'The Good, The Bad, The Hungry,' I realized that beyond the rivalry between Kobayashi and Chestnut, there were greater themes at play than just who could eat the most hot dogs," said director Haimes. "The film ultimately became a classic American tale exploring the notion of personal fulfillment, as well as touching on greater ideas around nationalism, truth, and power."

The film's trailer premiered last night during the broadcast debut of "Qualified," another 30 for 30 documentary about racecar driver Janet Guthrie, the first woman ever to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. "Qualified" is now available to stream on the ESPN app before transferring over to ESPN+ on June 19 to join the entire 30 for 30 library.

"The Good, The Bad, The Hungry" premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival in April. Advance press screeners are available upon request.

The film will air two days before the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest, which airs live on ESPN2 on Wednesday, July 4, at noon ET. The one-hour telecast marks the 16th consecutive year ESPN has televised the event. Prior to the main event, the Women's Championship will begin at 10:50 a.m. ET on ESPN3 and streaming live on the ESPN app.

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series and the Academy Award winning documentary "O.J.: Made in America," has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and critical acclaim. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX and the SEC Storied series.