Peacock is ready to touch gloves with Samuel L. Jackson after the Pulp Fiction and Snakes on a Plane star joined the cast of its Muhammad Ali limited series, Fight Night. Jackson plays Frank Moten for the series, a real-life underworld kingpin dubbed the Black Godfather by the New York tabloids. The project finds Jackson reuniting with Black Snake Moan filmmaker Craig Brewer, who will direct the first two episodes of Fight Night.
The plot takes place on the night of Ali defeating Jerry Quarry after he was banned from boxing for military draft dodging. The disturbing events of that evening include hundreds of guests at an after-party being robbed at gunpoint, becoming one of the most significant armed robberies in United States history. The tale unfolds in Atlanta, with story elements revolving around the cop, J.D. Hudson, and Morten (Jackson), the hustler, orchestrating the unprecedented criminal event.
Fight Night also stars Kevin Hart (Central Intelligence, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle), who is also producing the series for Peacock. The project is based on the Shaye Ogbonna and Will Packer podcast recounting the events.
Ogbonna and Echo 3 executive producer Jason Horwitch act as showrunners on Fight Night. The duo executive produces alongside Hart, Brian Smiley, and Mike Stein through Hart’s Hartbeat production studio. Packer and Sabrina Wind executive produce via Will Packer Media, with Conal Byrne, Will Pearson, and Carrie Lieberman for iHeartPodcasts, Jeff Keating, and Lars Jacobson.
Jackson is gearing up to star in Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming feature Argylle. The plot focuses on an introverted spy novelist drawn into the activities of a sinister underground syndicate. Henry Cavill stars as Argylle, with Sofia Boutella, Catherine O’Hara, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, Bryan Cranston, Sam Rockwell, John Cena, Rob Delaney, Jason Fuchs, and Jing Lusi also starring as primary cast members.
Are you familiar with the traumatic event Fight Night is based on? Have you listened to the podcast that inspired this production? Muhammed Ali is one of the greatest fighters to ever step into the ring. I’ll be interested to see how the events of this questionable evening are recreated for audiences and fans of the legendary boxer.