‘The Greatest’ sets release date as first teaser offers glimpse into Muhammad Ali’s extraordinary journey
Amazon Prime Video has unveiled the release date of its Muhammad Ali limited series, 'The Greatest.' As per Deadline, the estate-authorized scripted series about the boxer's life will premiere on November 4. The date was announced during a presentation at the Essence Festival of Culture on Saturday, featuring creator, showrunner, and executive producer Ben Watkins, alongside star Jaalen Best and cast members Dana Gourrier, Amin Joseph, Kai Parham, and Michael Ealy. Previously, the biographical film Ali (2001), starring Will Smith, chronicled his life. The series is billed as an intimate exploration of Ali's life.
Lonnie Ali, the widow of the late boxing legend, will also serve as the series' executive producer. She will be billed alongside Watkins, Outlier Society president Elizabeth Raposo, Authentic Brand Group’s Corey Salter, Marc Rosen and Matthew Gross, Aiyana White, Jeff Augustin and Owen Shiflett, Roc Nation, Michele Anthony, and Boyd Muir in this role. David Blackman for Polygram, Stefano Agosto, Executive Vice President of Television at Outlier Society, and Josh Wakely via his Grace: A Storytelling Company have been billed as CO-EPs. The series contains eight episodes and focuses on pivotal moments in Ali's life, both inside and outside the ring. Watkins’ Blue Monday Productions (Cross) and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society (The Creed Franchise) have joined hands for the project. Authentic Studios, Roc Nation, Polygram Entertainment, a Universal Music Group partner, and Grace: A Storytelling Company are also on board.
Best stars as Ali in a series that explores defining moments from his boxing career and humanitarian work. The teaser features Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, giving himself a pep talk in front of the mirror as his career highlights and moments with close ones play on screen. "I'm the fastest. I'm the strongest. I can't be beat. I'm gonna be the youngest heavyweight champion ever," he told himself, looking at the mirror. The teaser also included a synopsis that read, "The Greatest is the first authorized scripted series about the life of Muhammad Ali, offering unprecedented access and going beyond the amazing victories and defeats that made Ali a legend, both in and out of the ring."
Michael B. Jordan, who produced the series, shared the teaser on his social media. In his caption, he highlighted the hard work that went into making this project come to life. "Before Ali, he was Clay. 'The Greatest' has taken years to make and many hands to bring it to life. Most people only know the myth. We wanted to show the man underneath it, before the world decided who he was. We’re blessed to be a part of reintroducing him to a new generation," the actor-producer wrote.
