One Night in Miami – Amazon picks up Regina King’s directorial debut about a young Cassius Clay

Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide rights to Oscar-winning actress Regina King’s (Watchmen) feature directorial debut, One Night in Miami, written by Olivier-nominated Kemp Powers, based on his 2013 stage play. Producers are Jess Wu Calder and Keith Calder of Snoot Entertainment (Blindspotting, Anomalisa) and Jody Klein of ABKCO (The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus), King and Powers are executive producers.

Set on the night of February 25, 1964, the story follows a young Cassius Clay (before he became Muhammad Ali) as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Against all odds, he defeated Sonny Liston and shocked the sports world. While crowds of people swarm Miami Beach to celebrate the match, Clay – unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws – instead spends the night at the Hampton House Motel in one of Miami’s historically black neighborhoods celebrating with three of his closest friends: activist Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke and football star Jim Brown. The next morning, the four men emerge determined to define a new world for themselves and their people.

It stars Eli Goree, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance Reddick, and Nicolette Robinson.

In One Night in Miami, Powers explores what happened during these pivotal hours through the dynamic relationship between the four men and the way their friendship, paired with their shared struggles, fueled their path to becoming the civil rights icons they are today.

“One Night in Miami beautifully captures a significant moment in history when these great minds gathered and ultimately helped shape the conversation of what we know today as the civil rights movement,” said Head of Amazon Studios’ Jennifer Salke. “Regina King is a force of nature – mastering her craft in front of the camera as we’ve seen in her extensive body of work, and now taking her talent behind the camera. We’re so proud to welcome Regina and Kemp to the Amazon family.”

King said, “Amazon’s enthusiasm for One Night in Miami is both humbling and exciting. I am honored to have them as partners on my feature film directorial debut.”

Amazon Studios is planning to release One Night in Miami later in the year with an eye towards the awards corridor. ABKCO will release the official One Night in Miami original soundtrack album in conjunction with the film.

ICM Partners represents Regina King and negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers. King is also represented by attorney Nina Shaw and managed by John Carrabino.