Ken Burns Readies “Comprehensive” 4-Hour Muhammad Ali Documentary
“Beyond the astonishing athletic gifts and mountain of charisma, there’s a very complex, dynamic man whose life story has yet to receive the comprehensive treatment it deserves.” – Ken Burns
And that’s just what
Muhammad Ali‘s story will get. Today, March 29th,
PBS has announced that
Ken Burns will turn his lens to The People’s Champ in his next documentary feature. The still unnamed two-part, four-hour film, is due in 2021, which seems like a long way down the line, but given the scale of the man’s life, career and legacy, actually seems like an appropriate amount of time to afford yourself in pursuit of a “comprehensive” anything regarding the legend.
The film will be co-helmed by Burns’ daughter,
Sarah Burns, and
David McMahon, both of which worked with the acclaimed documentarian on the essential
Central Park Five and Jackie Robinson documentaries.
Shadow And Act reports that there have been numerous Ali docs over the years, including Showtime’s upcoming release,
The Ali Summit, focusing on Ali’s refusal to join the army in protest of the Vietnam War.
The boxing great died last year after a three-decade battle with Parkinson’s. He remains the sport’s most heralded fighter both in and out the ring.
