When you think of boxing, there are a number of fighters that come to mind. Names like Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and, of course, Muhammad Ali are all near the top of the list of most popular fighters of all time. However, it would be a shame to leave Jack Johnson off that list. And hopefully, the world champion boxer that holds a significant place in the history of the sport will finally get his due thanks to the upcoming series, “Unruly.”
According to Variety, HBO is developing a new limited series based on the life and boxing career of Jack Johnson, titled “Unruly.” And the network has secured Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali to star as the world champion. For those not familiar with the history of boxing, Jack Johnson is one of the best fighters to ever compete and is best known as the first Black heavyweight champion of the world.
The new limited series is based on the PBS documentary “Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson,” from filmmaker Ken Burns. “Unruly” is written and executive produced by Dominique Morisseau, who is probably best known as a playwright but has also been a successful TV writer on the Showtime series “Shameless.” She is also a producer on an upcoming musical based on “Soul Train.”
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Ali is no stranger to HBO. Recently, he starred in the third season of the premium network’s crime drama, “True Detective.” Obviously, he’s probably best known for his film work, earning two Oscar trophies for his performances in “Moonlight” and “The Green Book.” Most recently, he can be seen as part of the supporting cast of Season 2 of Hulu’s comedy series, “Ramy.”
It’s unclear when production on “Unruly” might begin, but with Ali in the lead, you better believe we’re excited about seeing Jack Johnson’s story brought to life.
