It’s looking like an A-list cast of Black Excellence is being assembled for the limited series that follows the 1970 robbery that took place after Muhammad Ali’s return fight against Jerry Quarry.
Peacock’s limited-series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” is already set to star Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Dexter Darden, and Kevin Hart. Now, more famous faces have been added to the lineup, including Don Cheadle, Clifton Powell, Chloe Bailey, Lori Harvey, and more.
Melvin Gregg, Artrece Johnson, and
Jalyn Hall are also among the lineup on the Will Packer production that’s set to kick off next week, Deadline reports. The Atlanta-based film will follow the hustler and cop at the center of the infamous heist that occurred after Ali’s defeat of Quarry.It had been four years since Ali hit the ring after he was banned from boxing for not enlisting in the military. His 1970 comeback match against Quarry occurred at the City Auditorium in Atlanta, where hundreds gathered after the fight for a soiree. It was there that they were all robbed at gunpoint in what became one of the largest armed robberies in American history.
Cheadle will play Detective JD Hudson, one of Atlanta’s first Black detectives who gets assigned to Ali’s security and to investigate the robbery. Jackson will play Frank Moten, according to IMDB. Howard takes on the role of Richard “Cadillac” Wheeler, a gangster and associate of the Council of 12. Darden will play Muhammad Ali, while Henson takes on the role of Vivian Thomas, a savvy businesswoman and mistress to Hart’s Chicken Man, an eager street hustler looking to level up.
The limited series reunites Howard with Craig Brewer, who will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the series. Howard will also work with Henson for the first time since their hit Lee Daniels series Empire. The pair also worked together in Hustle & Flow.
Henson and Hart will reunite since their work on Think Like a Man and Not Easily Broken. Bailey has been adding to her acting resume with lead roles in Packer’s 2023 gospel inspirational for Peacock Praise This
and Amazon Prime’s Swarm. This will be the first time many get to see Steve Harvey’s daughter, Lori Harvey, show off her acting skills.RELATED CONTENT: Taraji P. Henson And Terrence Howard Reunite In New Series ‘The Million Dollar Heist’