Time to make sure I’m stocked up on popcorn.
The estate of Muhammad Ali, for the first time in history, has issued a green light for a scripted series about arguably the greatest boxer of all-time — the show will be streamed on Amazon Prime. The executive producer of the program will be Lonnie Ali, the widow of Muhammad. Jaalen Best (“American Horror Story” and Magnum P.I.”) will be acting as the late boxer. (RELATED: WBC Expels Ryan Garcia For Taking Things A Little Too Far)
“The amazing victories and defeats that made Ali a legend, both in and out of the ring, have been well documented and while those landmark events will live in ‘The Greatest,’ the heartbeat of the story is fueled by all the moments that took place outside the spotlight. The world remembers an icon, but ‘The Greatest’ is about a man, a husband, a father, a brother and a son,” said Amazon Prime in a press release, per Variety.
Michael B. Jordan (“Creed”) and Ben Watkins (“Alex Cross”) will be directing the series.
Amazon Prime Video has greenlit “The Greatest,” the first-ever authorized scripted series about the life of Muhammad Ali.
Jaalen Best will star as Ali while Ben Watkins, creator of Amazon’s upcoming Alex Cross series, is set as showrunner.https://t.co/e2BEKYrLVf
— Variety (@Variety) July 11, 2024
If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of “Ali” when Will Smith played him …
Ali (2001)
Starring: Will Smith, Jamie Foxx
In 1964, a brash new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes on to the scene, Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self… pic.twitter.com/TF3cVdvz8t
— 🐻🇳🇬🇨🇩 (@TheIgboBear) June 18, 2024
So you already know I have high expectations for this — you better deliver, Amazon!
