Back in 1982, NBC and series creator Glen A. Larson brought us the classic action series Knight Rider, which starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a crime fighter assisted by KITT, “an advanced, artificially intelligent, self-aware, and nearly indestructible car.” The show ran for four seasons and 90 episodes, and made such an impact on pop culture that it spawned multiple TV movies and attempts at revival series. Now, a five-part, five-hour documentary called Knight Rider: Declassified is heading our way – and we’re proud to share the EXCLUSIVE debut of the trailer! You can check it out in the embed above.
What is Knight Rider: Declassified?
This five-hour documentary features new, never-before-seen interviews with the cast, creators, and crew who brought the iconic series to life. From the creation of KITT to the untold realities behind the scenes and the legacy that followed, this is the most comprehensive look ever produced at one of television’s most enduring legends.
Blu-ray copies are available exclusively through the official website, and are available for order right now.
The list of Knight Rider cast and crew interviewed for Knight Rider: Declassified includes David Hasselhoff, William Daniels, Steven E. de Souza, Don Peake, Gil Bettman, Bob Bralver, and many more.
Series opening recreated
The team behind Knight Rider: Declassified told us, “We’ve been working on this documentary for three years, and one of the highlights of the production was returning to El Mirage Dry Lakebed to recreate the iconic opening of Knight Rider. We recreated the opening sequence shot for shot in 8K using Sony Venice II cameras, later mastered for IMAX. Everything was shot entirely in camera, without the use of AI, as a practical exploration of how it was done back in August 1982. Lining up mountain ranges and iconic geography was a real challenge with both a car and camera on the move.
For the Season One epilogue of the show, we returned to Bob’s Gap and were amazed that it hadn’t changed a bit after more than 40 years. The same Joshua trees and fence posts were still there. We matched the original camera angles, direction, and even coordinates. A.J. Palmgren and Joe Huth, known as the Knight Rider Historians, were instrumental in that process. They are also caretakers of two of the five surviving screen-used cars. The car used to recreate the opening was a replica built by Joe and A.J. and is owned by Peri Fractic, who performed the driving.“
Rocco DeVilliers (Producer) said, “Stunt Coordinator and Second Unit Director Jack Gill was never happy with the wig he wore when driving the car during the production of the original opening. This time around, we were able to fix that. Some of this footage is shown in the trailer, and the full sequences will be featured in the documentary.“
Richard Grant Bennett (Producer) said, “Our goal with this deep dive was to peel back the curtain on the unsung heroes of Knight Rider – the crew who lived in the trenches to make the impossible happen on a weekly basis. Their dedication to the show that blew us away as kids was incredible.“
DeVilliers added, “Some of the stories are absolutely unbelievable, especially from the stunt team. We dive deep into what it took to create all the in-camera stunts for the show. As a fan myself, this project has been a total blast. I hope that spirit shines through for other fans when they go on this journey with us.“
Are you a fan of Knight Rider, and are you looking forward to this documentary? Take a look at the trailer for Knight Rider: Declassified, then let us know by leaving a comment below.
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