Prime Video announces new series 'The Greatest', based on boxer Muhammad Ali

Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video on Thursday unveiled the official trailer and key art for The Greatest, the first authorised scripted series to chronicle the life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.

Starring debutant Jaalen Best as Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, the series will premiere all its episodes on Prime Video on November 4, reaching audiences in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Set against the backdrop of a changing America, The Greatest traces the journey of a once-in-a-generation talent who fought for the right to define himself on his own terms. From the bouts that established him as a champion to the convictions that made him a global icon, the series follows the transformation of a young man from Louisville into Muhammad Ali, widely regarded as the greatest of all time, according to a release.

The series features an ensemble cast, including Omari Hardwick as Cassius Clay Sr, Dana Gourrier as Odessa ‘Bird’ Clay, Kai Parham as Rudy Clay, Amin Joseph as Sonny Liston, Giovanni Ribisi as Angelo Dundee and Michael Ealy as Malcolm X.

Ali’s wife, Lonnie Ali, serves as an executive producer on the project. Created and executive produced by Ben Watkins, who also serves as showrunner, The Greatest has been described as the first authorised scripted series based on Ali’s life. Watkins is known for his work on Cross and Hand of God.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr in 1942, Ali is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in history. Beyond his achievements in the ring, he became a global cultural icon and earned the moniker ‘The Greatest’.

After converting to Islam, Ali rejected his birth name, describing it as a ‘slave name’, and formally adopted the name Muhammad Ali. His opposition to the Vietnam War led him to refuse military induction, resulting in a conviction on draft evasion charges and the loss of his boxing titles. He successfully challenged the conviction in court, and the US Supreme Court overturned it in 1971.

In 1984, Ali publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome. He died in 2016 at the age of 74.