The Greatest: Muhammad Ali series lands on Prime Video

The Greatest arrives on Prime Video on Wednesday, November 4, in more than 240 countries and territories. All eight episodes of Ben Watkins's series drop at once. It is the first scripted project authorized by Muhammad Ali's family: his widow, Lonnie Ali, is an executive producer alongside Michael B. Jordan's company, Outlier Society.

From Rome to Miami Beach

The season covers four years, from the light-heavyweight Olympic gold won in Rome in 1960 by an 18-year-old Cassius Clay to his win over Sonny Liston in Miami Beach in 1964, which made him heavyweight champion of the world. In between come his pro debut, his arrival at Angelo Dundee's 5th Street Gym, his meeting with Malcolm X and the choice of the name Muhammad Ali. His refusal of the Vietnam draft, the loss of his license and his comeback are left for possible later seasons.

Jaalen Best plays Ali. Omari Hardwick and Dana Gourrier play his parents, Kai Parham his brother Rudy, Giovanni Ribisi trainer Angelo Dundee, Amin Joseph Sonny Liston and Michael Ealy Malcolm X.

Strong early reviews

US critics have seen the season ahead of release. TheWrap, in a review published on October 30, called it one of the best new shows of the year. Critic Zaki Hasan singles out Best, who captures the physical ease, the verbal flair and the more private side of the man once the cameras are gone. He highlights the family scenes, especially the father-son relationship, and puts Michael Ealy's Malcolm X alongside Denzel Washington's in Spike Lee's film. FandomWire scored it 9 out of 10.

On the boxing side, TheWrap rates the fight sequences highly and reports that Best spent months studying Ali's movement to reproduce his unorthodox style, known for the low guard and for slipping punches by leaning back. The critic adds that the show does not sand off Ali's rough edges, while leaving open how far an authorized biography can go.

How to watch

The series is included with a Prime Video subscription. The official trailer and the full entry, with cast and historical background, are on The Greatest page in the Sport-Fight.net film directory. For comparison, Michael Mann's Ali (2001), starring Will Smith, covers a longer stretch, from 1964 to the fight with George Foreman in Kinshasa in 1974.