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Jaalen Best as Muhammad Ali in The Greatest.

Published Oct 24, 2026, 8:30 PM EDT

A cinematic obsessive with the filmic palate of a starving raccoon, Rob London will watch pretty much anything once. With a mind like a steel trap, he's an endless fount of movie and TV trivia, borne from a misspent youth of watching monster movies on TV, perusing the sun-faded goods at the local video rental shop, and staining his fingers with ink from the Video Movie Guide. Areas of interest include science fiction, film noir, horror flicks, '70s disaster pictures, Bond movies, '90s action, giant robots, dinosaurs, super heroes, and the exuberantly schlocky output of Cannon Films. He also enjoys both Star Trek and Star Wars when they're good, and maybe even more when they're bad. As a Canadian, he also has a vested interest in Canadian movies and TV shows, especially the cheesier ones dubbed "Canuxploitation."

An expert on Marvel Comics, he has also written for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, and is a member of the Marvel Research Team. He can frequently be found pontificating on comic-book continuity or bemoaning the misfortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs on his Twitter account.

Muhammad Ali was one of the most captivating athletes and public figures of the 20th century. The heavyweight champion boxer of the world for much of the 1960s and '70s, he made his mark not just on sports, but on pop culture, religion, and politics. Now, the most comprehensive adaptation of his life story ever is coming to Prime Video in less than two weeks.

The Greatest stars Jaalen Best (All American: Homecoming) as Ali, tracing his life from his early days in Tennessee as Cassius Clay, to his emergence as an amateur and professional boxer, to his transformation into the motor-mouthed Muhammad Ali and the shocking prize fights that made him a worldwide superstar. The first season will focus on Ali's early career, including his boyhood, his gold medal win at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, and his two fateful meetings with world heavyweight champ Sonny Liston. The series was shot on location in Ontario, Canada, with filming taking place in Toronto, Hamilton, and Cobourg. Season 1 of The Greatest will consist of eight episodes; all eight will be released exclusively on Prime Video on November 4.

The series also stars Omari Hardwick (Power) and Dana Gourrier (The Hateful Eight) as Ali's parents, Cassius Clay Sr. and Odessa Clay; Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar) as Ali's longtime trainer, Angelo Dundee; Amin Joseph (Snowfall) as rival boxer Liston; Michael Ealy (Barbershop) as political and religious leader Malcolm X, who inspired Ali to join the Nation of Islam; Reno Wilson (Dexter: Original Sin) as Ali's cornerman, Drew Bundini Brown; and Chris Jericho (Terrifier 3) as legendary professional wrestler Gorgeous George.

Who Are the Creatives Behind 'The Greatest'?

The Greatest is created, showrun, and directed by Ben Watkins, who showruns and executive produces the Prime Video crime thriller series Cross. The series is produced in collaboration with the estate of Ali, who died in 2016; his widow, Lonnie Ali, executive produces the series. Other executive producers include Michael B. Jordan and Elizabeth Raposo for Outlier Society, plus Josh Wakely, Corey Salter, Marc Rosen, Matthew Gross, Michele Anthony, and Boyd Muir.