Ali ( film ) - wikipedia Ali ( film ) Ali Theatrical release poster Directed by Michael Mann Produced by Jon Peters Michael Mann James Lassiter Paul Ardaji A. Kitman Ho Screenplay by Michael Mann Eric Roth Stephen J. Rivele Christopher Wilkinson Story by Gregory Allen Howard Starring Will Smith Jamie Foxx Jon Voight Mario Van Peebles Ron Silver Jeffrey Wright Mykelti Williamson James Toney Music by Pieter Bourke Lisa Gerrard Cinematography Emmanuel Lubezki Edited by William Goldenberg Lynzee Klingman Stephen E. Rivkin Stuart Waks Production company Initial Entertainment Group Peters Entertainment Forward Pass Overbrook Films Distributed by Columbia Pictures ( United States ) Initial Entertainment Group ( International ) Release date December 25, 2001 ( 2001 - 12 - 25 ) Running time 157 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $107 million Box office $87.7 million Ali is a 2001 American biographical sports drama film written, produced and directed by Michael Mann. The film focuses on ten years in the life of the boxer Muhammad Ali, played by Will Smith, from 1964 to 1974, featuring his capture of the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston, his conversion to Islam, criticism of the Vietnam War, and banishment from boxing, his return to fight Joe Frazier in 1971, and, finally, his reclaiming the title from George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle fight of 1974. It also touches on the great social and political upheaval in the United States following the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. The film was well received by critics, but was unsuccessful at the box office. Smith and Jon Voight received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Reception 4.1 Awards and honors 5 Alternate versions 6 References 7 External links Plot The film begins with Cassius Clay, Jr. before his championship debut against then heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. During the pre-fight weigh - in Clay heavily taunts Liston ( such as calling Liston a `` big ugly bear '' ). In the fight Clay is able to dominate the early rounds of the match, but halfway through he complains of a burning feeling in his eyes ( implying that Liston has tried to cheat ) and says he is unable to continue. However, his trainer / manager Angelo Dundee gets him to keep fighting. Once Clay is able to see again he easily dominates the fight and right before round seven Liston quits, making Clay the second youngest heavyweight champion at the time after Floyd Patterson. Clay spends valued time with Malcolm X and the two decide to take a trip to Africa. Clay is then invited to the home of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad where he is granted the name Muhammad Ali due to his status of World Heavyweight Champion. His father, Cassius Clay Sr. disapproves of this. Ali marries Sonji Roi, an ex-Playboy Bunny, despite her not being Muslim and not abiding by sex segregation. While at home with his wife and children, Malcolm X is called by the Nation of Islam and is informed that his suspension has been extended and Ali will not go to Africa. However, Ali takes the trip to Africa where he finds Malcolm X, but later refuses to speak to him, honoring the wishes of Elijah Muhammad. He is extremely distraught when Malcolm is later assassinated. Upon returning to America, Ali goes against Sonny Liston a second time and knocks him out in the first round. He and Sonji divorce after she continually objects to certain obligations Muslim women have, notably wearing a hijab. After being officially called to fight in the Vietnam War with the U.S. Army, Ali refuses, and is subsequently stripped of his boxing license, passport and title, additionally facing five years in prison. Ali marries 17 - year - old Belinda Boyd. After a three - year hiatus, his conviction is overturned and in his comeback fight, he goes against Jerry Quarry and wins by technical knockout in three rounds when Quarry gets a cut in his eye. Ali attempts to regain the Heavyweight Championship against Joe Frazier. Dubbed the Fight of the Century, Frazier has the upper hand against Ali for most of the rounds. In the fifteenth round, he defeats Ali by decision, giving Ali the first loss of his career. When Frazier loses the championship to George Foreman, Ali makes a decision to fight Foreman and become the first boxer to win his title a second time. Foreman and Ali go to Kinshasa, Zaire for the Rumble in the Jungle fight. While there, Ali meets a woman named Veronica Porché, and has an affair with her. After reading rumors of his infidelity through newspapers, his wife Belinda travels to Zaire to confront him about this. Ali says he is unsure as to whether he really loves Veronica or not, and just wants to focus on his upcoming title shot. For a good portion of the fight against Foreman, Ali leans back against the ropes and covers up, letting Foreman wildly throw punches at him. During the fight, Ali realizes that he has to react sooner or else he will be knocked out or possibly die in the ring. As the rounds go on, Foreman tires himself out and Ali takes advantage. He quickly knocks out the tired Foreman, and the film ends with Ali regaining the Heavyweight Championship of which he was previously stripped. Cast Will Smith as Cassius Clay, Jr. / Cassius X / Muhammad Ali Jamie Foxx as Drew Bundini Brown Jon Voight as Howard Cosell Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X Ron Silver as Angelo Dundee Jeffrey Wright as Howard Bingham Mykelti Williamson as Don King James Toney as Joe Frazier Jada Pinkett Smith as Sonji Roi Nona Gaye as Belinda Boyd / Khalilah Ali Michael Michele as Veronica Porché Joe Morton as Chauncey Eskridge Paul Rodriguez as Dr. Ferdie Pacheco Bruce McGill as Bradley Barry Shabaka Henley as Herbert Muhammad Giancarlo Esposito as Cassius Clay, Sr. Laurence Mason as Luis Sarria LeVar Burton as Martin Luther King, Jr. Albert Hall as Elijah Muhammad David Cubitt as Robert Lipsyte Michael Bentt as Sonny Liston Charles Shufford as George Foreman Robert Sale as Jerry Quarry Candy Ann Brown as Odessa Clay David Haines as Rudy Clay / Rahman Ali Leon Robinson as Brother Joe Ted Levine as Joe Smiley David Elliott as Sam Cooke Truth Hurts ( credited as Shari Watson ) as Singer Malick Bowens as Joseph Mobutu Zaa Nkweta as Foreman Fight Announcer Brandon T. Jackson as Club Goer ( uncredited ) Victoria Dillard as Betty Shabazz ( wife of Malcolm X ) Production The project began in 1992 when Producer Paul Ardaji optioned the movie rights to Muhammad Ali 's life story. Nearing the end of his option period, Ardaji signed a contract with Sony Pictures, joining forces with Producer Jon Peters as producing partner. Producer Jon Peters started developing the film in 1994. Gregory Allen Howard wrote the initial draft of the script, which had the working title Power and Grace. Howard 's draft focused on Ali 's life from 12 to 40 years old, and his relationship with his father. Howard was replaced by writers Stephen J. Rivele and Chris Wilkinson, and by 1998 the biopic was set up at Columbia Pictures, with Will Smith attached to star and the possibility of Ron Howard directing. During the filming of Wild Wild West, Smith presented director Barry Sonnenfeld with the script. Columbia was hoping for filming to start towards the end of 1998, but it was pushed back, and Sonnenfeld exited in November 1999. It was speculated the Columbia was hesitant to move forward with Sonnenfeld following the disappointing box office performance of Wild Wild West. In February 2000, it was announced that Michael Mann had taken over as director, following his Academy Award nomination for The Insider. With this commitment to Ali, Mann turned down the opportunity to direct early versions of The Aviator, Shooter and Savages, and brought Eric Roth to co-write the script. After years of being attached to the Ali biopic, Smith officially signed on in May 2000 with a $20 million salary. Filming began in Los Angeles on January 11, 2001 on a $105 million budget. Shooting also took place in New York city, Chicago, Miami and Mozambique. Smith spent approximately one year learning all aspects of Ali 's life. These included boxing training ( up to seven hours a day ), Islamic studies and dialect training. Smith has said that his portrayal of Ali is his proudest work to date. One of the selling points of the film is the realism of the fight scenes. Smith worked alongside boxing promoter Guy Sharpe from SharpeShooter Entertainment, and his lead fighter Ross Kent, to get the majority of his boxing tips for the film. All of the boxers in the film are former or current world heavyweight championship caliber boxers. It was quickly decided that ' Hollywood fighting ' -- passing the fist ( or foot ) between the camera and the face to create the illusion of a hit -- would not be used in favor of actual boxing. The only limitation placed upon the fighters was for Charles Shufford ( who plays George Foreman ). He was permitted to hit Smith as hard as he could, so long as he did not actually knock the actor out. Smith had to gain a significant amount of weight to look the part of Muhammad Ali. Reception Ali opened on Christmas Day, 2001 and grossed a total of $14.7 million in 2,446 theaters during its opening weekend. The film went on to gross a total of $87.7 million worldwide. Ali holds a 67 % `` fresh '' rating at Rotten Tomatoes. In spite of the positive reviews, the film lost an estimated $63.1 million. The film had generally favorable reviews, with the performances of Smith and Voight being well received by critics in general. Roger Ebert derided the film with two stars in his review for the Chicago Sun - Times, and mentioned, `` it lacks much of the flash, fire and humor of Muhammad Ali and is shot more in the tone of a eulogy than a celebration ''. In Variety magazine, Todd McCarthy wrote, `` The director 's visual and aural dapplings are strikingly effective at their best, but over the long haul do n't represent a satisfactory alternative to in - depth dramatic scenes ; one longs, for example, for even one sequence in which Ali and Dundee discuss boxing strategy or assess an opponent '', but he did have praise for the performances : `` The cast is outstanding, from Smith, who carries the picture with consummate skill, and Voight, who is unrecognizable under all the makeup but nails Cosell 's distinctive vocal cadences ''. USA Today gave the film two and half stars out of four and stated that, `` for many Ali fans, the movie may be good enough, but some perspective is in order. The documentaries a.k.a. Cassius Clay and the Oscar - winning When We Were Kings cover a lot of the same ground and are consistently more engaging ''. In The New York Times, Elvis Mitchell proclaimed Ali to be a `` breakthrough '' film for Mann, adding that it was his `` first movie with feeling '' and that `` his overwhelming love of its subject will turn audiences into exuberant, thrilled fight crowds ''. J. Hoberman, in his review for the Village Voice, felt that the `` first half percolates wonderfully -- and the first half hour is even better than that. Mann opens with a thrilling montage that, spinning in and out of a nightclub performance by Sam Cooke, contextualizes the hero in his times '', and concluded that, `` Ali 's astonishing personality is skillfully evoked but, in the end, remains a mystery ''. When Ali died in June 2016, Smith was chosen to be one of Ali 's pallbearers for the memorial service in Louisville. Awards and honors Award Name Outcome 74th Academy Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Will Smith Nominated Best Actor in a Supporting Role Jon Voight Nominated Black Reel Awards of 2001 Best Supporting Actor Jamie Foxx Won Best Supporting Actress Nona Gaye Won Best Original Soundtrack Won Best Actor Will Smith Won Best Song From a Film R. Kelly - `` The World 's Greatest '' Won Best Screenplay, Adapted or Original Gregory Allen Howard Won Best Film Won Best Film Poster Won Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards 2001 Best Actor Will Smith Nominated Best Supporting Actor Jon Voight Nominated Best Picture Nominated Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 2001 Best Supporting Actor Jon Voight Won ESPY Awards Best Sports Movie ESPY Award Won 59th Golden Globe Awards Best Original Score Lisa Gerrard, Pieter Bourke Nominated Best Actor, Drama Will Smith Nominated Best Supporting Actor Jon Voight Nominated Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing - Music Kenneth Karman, Lisa Jaime, Vicki Hiatt, Stephanie Lowry, Christine H. Luethje Nominated Golden Trailer Awards Best Drama Won 2002 MTV Movie Awards Best Male Performance Will Smith Won NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Motion Picture Won Outstanding Supporting Actor Jamie Foxx Won Mario Van Peebles Nominated Outstanding Actor Will Smith Won Outstanding Supporting Actress Jada Pinkett Smith Nominated Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Editing William Goldenberg, Lynzee Klingman, Stephen E. Rivkin, Stuart Waks Won PRISM Awards Theatrical Feature Film Won Alternate versions The film was released theatrically in 2001 at a length of 157 minutes. This version was released on DVD on April 30, 2002. Mann then re-edited the film, creating a new cut that ran 165 minutes and was released on DVD on June 1, 2004 as The Director 's Cut. Approximately 4 minutes of theatrical footage was removed, while 14 minutes of previously unseen footage was placed back in by Mann. The Director 's Cut also featured an audio commentary by Mann. The theatrical cut of the film was released on Blu - ray in France in 2009 and in Germany in 2012. In 2016 Mann created a third cut, significantly re-editing the film in the aftermath of Ali 's death. He deleted one fight and added scenes and footage focusing on the political side of Ali 's life. This version runs 152 minutes and was released on January 17, 2017 on Blu - Ray in the US as the Commemorative Edition. References Jump up ^ `` Ali ( 2001 ) - Box Office Mojo ''. boxofficemojo.com. Jump up ^ Michael Fleming ( 1993 - 12 - 01 ). `` Peters - Semel team rumored ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Brad Schreiber ( 2002 - 02 - 19 ). `` Fusing fact and fiction for art 's sake ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Staff ( 1998 - 03 - 25 ). `` McConaughey sees ' Evel ' ; Horner tune $ in ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Michael Fleming ( 1998 - 08 - 14 ). `` Sonnenfeld, Smith might team again on Ali biopic ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Michael Fleming ( 1999 - 10 - 14 ). `` Parkerperks ' Women ' ; Gere turns on Fawcett ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Michael Fleming ( 2000 - 02 - 22 ). `` Mann handling Ali pic ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Michael Fleming ( 2000 - 07 - 20 ). `` For Roth, it 's ' Potter ' or ' Planet ' ? ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Michael Fleming ( 2000 - 05 - 16 ). `` Allen may be in ' Big Trouble ' ; Smith 's Ali ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Cathy Dunkley ( 2001 - 05 - 08 ). `` IEG punches up ' Ali ' deal ''. Variety. Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Barra, Allen ( 2001 - 09 - 09 ). `` THE NEW SEASON / FILM ; Michael Mann and Will Smith in the Ring With Ali ''. New York Times. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 10. Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger ( 2001 - 12 - 25 ). `` Ali ''. Chicago Sun - Times. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 15. Jump up ^ McCarthy, Todd ( 2001 - 12 - 16 ). `` Ali ''. Variety. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 15. Jump up ^ Clark, Mike ( 2001 - 12 - 31 ). `` Despite hype, Ali is n't the greatest ''. USA Today. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 15. Jump up ^ Mitchell, Elvis ( 2001 - 12 - 25 ). `` Master of the Boast, King of the Ring, Vision of the Future ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 15. Jump up ^ Hoberman, J ( December 26, 2001 ). `` Fight Songs ''. Village Voice. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 17. Jump up ^ https://www.dvdreleases.org/drama/ali/ Jump up ^ https://www.amazon.com/Ali-Directors-Mario-Van-Peebles/dp/B0001XAOL6/ Jump up ^ `` Ali - The Director 's Cut ''. 1 June 2004 -- via Amazon. Jump up ^ `` Ali Comparison ''. MovieCensorship.com. Retrieved March 7, 2015. Jump up ^ http://deadline.com/2017/01/ali-movie-directors-cut-michael-mann-will-smith-muhammad-ali-1201887992/ Jump up ^ http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Ali-Blu-ray/44156/ External links Ali on IMDb Ali at AllMovie Ali at Box Office Mojo Ali at Rotten Tomatoes Excerpts from production notes `` Michael Mann and Will Smith in the Ring With Ali '' New York Times article An interview with the film 's cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki Muhammad Ali Fights Boxing at the 1960 Summer Olympics Clay vs. Hunsaker Clay vs. Siler Clay vs. Esperti Clay vs. Robinson Clay vs. Fleeman Clay vs. Clark Clay vs. Sabedong Clay vs. Johnson Clay vs. Miteff Clay vs. Besmanoff Clay vs. Banks Clay vs. Warner Clay vs. Logan Clay vs. Daniels Clay vs. Lavorante Clay vs. Moore Clay vs. Powell Clay vs. Jones Ali vs. Cooper Liston vs. Ali Ali vs. Patterson Ali vs. Chuvalo Ali vs. London Ali vs. Mildenberger Ali vs. Terrell Ali vs. Williams Ali vs. Folley Ali vs. Quarry Ali vs. Bonavena Fight of the Century ( Ali vs. Frazier I ) Ali vs. Ellis Ali vs. Mathis Ali vs. Blin Ali vs. M. Foster Ali vs. Lewis Ali vs. B. Foster Ali vs. Bugner Ali vs. Norton Ali vs. Lubbers Ali vs. Frazier II The Rumble in the Jungle ( Ali vs. Foreman ) Ali vs. Wepner Ali vs. Lyle Thrilla in Manila ( Ali vs. Frazier III ) Ali vs. Coopman Ali vs. Young Ali vs. Dunn Ali vs. Evangelista Ali vs. Shavers Ali vs. Spinks Spinks vs. Ali II Holmes vs. Ali Drama in Bahama ( Ali vs. Berbick ) Media Requiem for a Heavyweight ( 1962 film ) The Super Fight ( film ) a.k.a. Cassius Clay ( film ) `` Black Superman '' ( song ) I Am the Greatest ( album ) The Adventures of Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay ( album ) I Am the Greatest : The Adventures of Muhammad Ali ( animated series ) Superman vs. Muhammad Ali ( comic book ) The Greatest ( film ) Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing ( video game ) Foes of Ali ( video game ) When We Were Kings ( film ) King of the World ( TV film ) Ali : An American Hero ( TV film ) `` Muhammad Ali '' ( song ) Ali ( film ) `` The World 's Greatest '' ( song ) Facing Ali ( film ) When Ali Came to Ireland ( documentary ) The Trials of Muhammad Ali ( documentary ) Muhammad Ali 's Greatest Fight ( TV film ) I Am Ali ( documentary ) People Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. ( father ) Odessa Grady Clay ( mother ) Rahman Ali ( brother ) Khalilah Ali ( first wife ) Veronica Porché Ali ( second wife ) Laila Ali ( daughter ) Chuck Bodak ( trainer and cutman ) Angelo Dundee ( cornerman ) Drew Bundini Brown ( trainer and cornerman ) Ferdie Pacheco ( personal physician and cornerman ) Joe E. Martin ( first trainer ) Archie Moore ( trainer ) George Dillman ( instructor ) Jabir Herbert Muhammad ( manager ) Luis Sarria ( trainer, cutman, and masseur ) Joe Frazier ( opponent and friend ) Books The Greatest : My Own Story ( 1975 autobiography ) The Fight ( 1975 ) Muhammad Ali : His Life and Times ( 1991 biography ) King of the World ( 1998 biography ) Facing Ali ( 2002 ) Muhammad Ali : The Glory Years ( 2003 biography ) The Soul of a Butterfly ( 2004 autobiography ) Twelve Rounds to Glory ( 2007 biography ) Other Religious views of Muhammad Ali Rope - a-dope Ali Mall Clay v. United States Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki Muhammad Ali Center Muhammad Ali in India Muhammad Ali in China Films directed by Michael Mann The Jericho Mile ( 1979 ) Thief ( 1981 ) The Keep ( 1983 ) Manhunter ( 1986 ) L.A. Takedown ( 1989 ) The Last of the Mohicans ( 1992 ) Heat ( 1995 ) The Insider ( 1999 ) Ali ( 2001 ) Collateral ( 2004 ) Miami Vice ( 2006 ) Public Enemies ( 2009 ) Blackhat ( 2015 ) NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture 1972 -- 2000 Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) Let 's Do It Again ( 1976 ) The Greatest ( 1978 ) Fame ( 1980 ) Bustin ' Loose ( 1981 ) An Officer and a Gentleman ( 1982 ) A Soldier 's Story ( 1985 ) The Color Purple ( 1986 ) Lethal Weapon ( 1987 ) Coming to America ( 1988 ) Lean on Me ( 1989 ) Glory ( 1990 ) Boyz n the Hood ( 1992 ) Sister Act ( 1993 ) Malcolm X ( 1994 ) Waiting to Exhale ( 1996 ) A Time to Kill ( 1997 ) Soul Food ( 1998 ) How Stella Got Her Groove Back ( 1999 ) The Best Man ( 2000 ) 2001 -- present Remember the Titans ( 2001 ) Ali ( 2002 ) Antwone Fisher ( 2003 ) The Fighting Temptations ( 2004 ) Ray ( 2005 ) Crash ( 2006 ) The Pursuit of Happyness ( 2007 ) The Great Debaters ( 2008 ) The Secret Life of Bees ( 2009 ) Precious ( 2010 ) For Colored Girls ( 2011 ) The Help ( 2012 ) Red Tails ( 2013 ) 12 Years a Slave ( 2014 ) Selma ( 2015 ) Straight Outta Compton ( 2016 ) Hidden Figures ( 2017 ) GND : 4694164 - 2 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ali_(film)&oldid=814756075 '' Categories : 2001 films English - language films 2000s biographical films 2000s drama films 2000s sports films American films American biographical films American drama films American sports films Boxing films Columbia Pictures films Films about Muhammad Ali Films about race and ethnicity Films directed by Michael Mann Films set in Miami Films set in New York City Films set in the 1960s Films set in the 1970s Films set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Films shot in Mozambique Overbrook Entertainment films Screenplays by Eric Roth Sports films based on actual events African - American films African - American drama films Hidden categories : All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2016 Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Azərbaycanca Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 10 December 2017, at 19 : 10. 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Question: who played muhammad ali in the movie ali
Answer: Will Smith