Amazon MGM Studios has unveiled the official trailer for The Greatest, its highly anticipated series chronicling the life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. The eight-episode drama is set to premiere on Prime Video on Nov. 4.
The series comes from showrunner and creator Ben Watkins alongside Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society, Authentic Studios, Roc Nation, Polygram Entertainment, and Grace: A Storytelling Company. Oscar winner Jordan serves as an executive producer.
Described as “an intimate exploration of the incomparable life of the boxing champion, humanitarian and global icon,” the series is executive produced by Lonnie Ali, widow of the late boxing legend, making it the first authorised scripted series about Ali’s life.
According to the creators, The Greatest aims to go beyond the victories and defeats that defined Ali’s boxing career by exploring his life as a husband, father, brother, and son.
Jaalen Best stars as Cassius Clay, leading a cast that includes Giovanni Ribisi, Omari Hardwick, Dana Gourrier, Amin Joseph, Kai Parham, and Michael Ealy.
While several documentaries and films have previously explored Ali’s story, Watkins says the new series focuses on aspects of the icon’s life audiences have not seen before.
“It’s a show that’s designed to show you all the stuff that wasn’t in documentaries and isn’t available in terms of watching old fights and old interviews,” Watkins said.
“We filmed Season 1, which starts in 1960 when he wins the gold medal and ends in 1964 when he wins the heavyweight title for the first time. In between, there is a coming-of-age story, and a very intimate coming-of-age story, that really shows a different side of Ali, who was then Cassius Clay.”
