Peacock, the streaming service of NBCUniversal, is developing an eight-part event series about the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. According to Variety, the series will be based on the definitive biography of Ali, titled Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig, and will chronicle eight distinct and defining moments in Ali’s life. The project is executive produced by Bridgerton breakout stars Regé-Jean Page and Emily Brown, Lori McCreary, Morgan Freeman, and Oscar-winning writer Kevin Willmott, who also wrote the series. Eig is producing the ambitious project.
Each episode will be framed by one of Ali’s iconic fights, but the drama will mostly capture the events outside the ring. While Page is executive producing the show, there is no confirmation whether he will also play the role of Ali.
Revelations Entertainment, CBS Studios, and UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, will serve as the studios for the series. Willmott, who is an Academy Award-winning film director and screenwriter, is known for his work focusing on the Black experience in projects like BlackKklansman, Da 5 Bloods, The 24th, Chi-Raq, and Jayhawkers. Meanwhile, Morgan Freeman, who has played notable roles in films like The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, and Seven, has previously served as an executive producer on projects like Madam Secretary and Invictus.
Page, who gained international fame through his role in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton, will be seen next in the Russo Brothers’ upcoming action film The Gray Man and the film adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. The Muhammad Ali series will add to his list of high-profile projects.
