'Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali': Release date, spoilers of Netflix docu

'Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali' tells the extraordinary story behind the friendship of two of the most iconic figures of the 20th century
UPDATED SEP 7, 2021
Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali were close friends once (Netflix)
Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali were close friends once (Netflix)

Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of all time, and Malcolm X, the famous civil rights leader, two of the most influential men of 20th century shared an unlikely friendship. From a chance meeting to a tragic fallout, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali's extraordinary bond cracks under the weight of distrust and shifting ideals, Netflix's upcoming documentary 'Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali' documents it all.

The Nation of Islam (NOI), a religious organization that believes in Black superiority over whites, played a crucial role in not only bringing these two visionaries together but also their eventual fallout. In his 2004 biography, 'The Soul of a Butterfly', Ali wrote, "Turning my back on Malcolm was one of the mistakes that I regret most in my life." "Malcolm X was a great thinker and an even greater friend. I might never have become a Muslim if it hadn’t been for Malcolm. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would never have turned my back on him," the boxer penned. Read on to know all about the upcoming Netflix documentary that will throw light upon the duo's friendship and their eventual fallout.

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American Heavyweight boxer Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali), training in his gym, 21st May 1965. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Release date and how to watch

'The Blood Brothers' premieres on Thursday, September 9 on Netflix. Viewers can subscribe to Netflix directly, via a mobile app store (App Store, Google Play). You can also watch it by signing up for the platform’s free trial. Apart from that, viewers can also opt for different subscription plans provided by the streaming giant.

Plot

"For three pivotal years, Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X forged a brotherhood that would not only change both men but change the world. Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali tells the extraordinary story behind the friendship —and the ultimate falling out— of two of the most iconic figures of the 20th century. Few people understand the bond these men shared. In this new feature-length documentary from producer Kenya Barris, director Marcus A. Clarke offers a fresh perspective by using insider voices and never-before-seen footage to chart this most complex of friendships, tracing the near-simultaneous and symbiotic rise of the charismatic and outspoken Olympic champion who charmed the nation, and the ex-con-turned intellectual revolutionary who railed against oppression. Through interviews with those closest to them — Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, Ali’s brother Rahman and daughters Maryum and Hana — and cultural luminaries such as Cornel West and Al Sharpton, the film illuminates their meeting, bonding, and eventual falling out over discord within the leadership of the Nation of Islam," reads the synopsis of the documentary.

Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali with their daughters (Netflix)

Cast

The documentary will be featuring Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, Muhammad Ali’s brother Rahman and daughters Maryum and Hana — and cultural luminaries such as Cornel West and Al Sharpton.

Creators

Inspired by the book 'Blood Brothers' written by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith, the film is directed by Marcus A. Clarke (Unsolved Mysteries, Rapture), produced by Kenya Barris and Jason Perez and executive produced by Erynn Sampson, Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Simon George and Marcus A. Clarke.

Trailer



 

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