HBO’s Boxing Drama “Unruly” | Mahershala Ali

[Pennywise]

Mahershala Ali to Play Boxing Legend Jack Johnson in Limited Series in Development at HBO

Mahershala Ali is attached to play boxer Jack Johnson in a limited series currently in the works at HBO, Variety has learned.

The six-part series is titled “Unruly.” It is described as an unapologetically Black, no-holds-barred telling of Johnson’s life. The first ever Black heavyweight boxing champion, the show would follow Johnson’s rise to greatness and the costs he paid for his skin color and defiance.

The series is based on the PBS documentary “Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson,” which was produced and directed by Ken Burns, as well as the accompanying book by Geoffrey C. Ward. It was first put into development at HBO back in 2013 with Beau Willimon originally attached to write.

Dominique Morisseau will serve as writer and executive producer on the series now, with Ali executive producing under his Known Wonder banner in addition to starring. Tom Hanks will executive produce via Playtone along with Gary Goetzman. Burns will also executive produce for Florentine Films along with Mimi Valdés and Amatus Karim Ali of Known Wonder. Willimon will co-executive produce along with Playtone’s Steven Shareshian.

Ali previously played Johnson in a stage production of “The Great White Hope” in 2000 and has previously spoken about his desire to play Johnson onscreen. The role would also bring Ali back to HBO, where he starred in the third season of “True Detective,” for which he earned an Emmy nomination last year.

 

[MadVillainy]

YEEEEEEEEEEEES

 

[Pennywise]

So hyped about this! One of my favourite actors in recent years!

 

[MadVillainy]

 

[MadVillainy]

So hyped about this! One of my favourite actors in recent years!

 

[Pennywise]

Rodney Barnes Joins HBO’s Jack Johnson Limited Series Starring Mahershala Ali As Writer & Executive Producer

EXCLUSIVE: Winning Time executive producer Rodney Barnes has boarded HBO’s limited series project, set to star Mahershala Ali as boxing legend Jack Johnson. Barnes, who is under an overall deal with HBO, will serve as writer and executive producer on the Untitled Jack Johnson limited series (fka Unruly), bringing a brand new take on adapting the PBS documentary Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, produced and directed by Ken Burns, and its companion book by Geoffrey C. Ward.

Barnes succeeds Dominique Morisseau, who had been originally tapped to write the limited series from Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone.

The six-part series is described as an unapologetically Black, no-holds-barred telling of Jack Johnson (Ali), the world’s first Black Heavyweight Boxing Champion. This bold exploration depicts the champion’s rise to athletic greatness and the costs he paid for his skin and defiance, which created a blueprint for Black resistance in every justice movement for generations to come.