David Farnor | On 05, Jan 2021

“Ready for tonight?” “As ready as a person can be.” That’s the sound of real life icons colliding in One Night in Miami, Regina King’s phenomenal directorial debut.

The film is inspired by one historic night in 1964, when Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), defeats heavyweight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialised the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). One Night in Miami is a fictional account inspired by that evening, looking at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s.

Based on Kemp Powers’ award-winning play of the same name, the film was set for a theatrical release on Boxing Day last year, but with coronavirus lockdowns on the cards once more, the chance to see it on the big screen has been somewhat scuppered. On 15th January, however, One Night in Miami will be released worldwide on Amazon Prime Video. Here’s the new trailer:

 

Watch: Amazon drops trailer for One Night in Miami

19th November 2020
Amazon has dropped the trailer for One Night in Miami, Regina King’s phenomenal directorial debut.

What happens when Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke find themselves in the same room? The film is inspired by one historic night in 1964, when the four icons of sports, music and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), defeats heavyweight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialised the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). One Night in Miami is a fictional account inspired by that evening, looking at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s.

Based on Kemp Powers’ award-winning play of the same name, the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and screened at the London Film Festival. Now, it will be released in UK cinemas on Boxing Day before arriving on Amazon Prime Video worldwide on 15th January.

Here’s the trailer:

 

One Night in Miami set for UK release this December

11th November 2020

One Night in Miami will get a UK release this December, Amazon Studios has confirmed.

The film, which marks the directorial debut of Regina King, is inspired by the historic night in 1964, when four icons of sports, music and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), defeats heavyweight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialised the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). One Night in Miami is a fictional account inspired by the historic night these 4 formidable figures spent together. It looks at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s.

Based on Kemp Powers’ award-winning play of the same name, the film was the first by a black female director to screen at the Venice Film Festival this year. Since then, it has also premiered in the UK at the London Film Festival.

“A deep, thought-provoking meditation on public and political influence, one that finds tearful catharsis and uplifting hope in Sam Cooke’s songwriting, joy in friendship and the strength found in camaraderie and electrifying challenge in the reminder that we all have a part to play in making the world a better, more equal place,” we wrote in our review at the festival.

Now, it’s finally got a confirmed release date, with the film set to be distributed in UK cinemas on Boxing Day.

King said: “To complete and release a film within the same year is a difficult task. We welcomed the challenge because we knew now was the time for this film to be released. Amazon fully supported our intention and I could not be more excited this prescient story will be seen across the globe.”

The film will then stream on Amazon Prime Video worldwide from 15th January 2021.

 

Amazon’s One Night in Miami joins LFF 2020 line-up

17th September 2020

Regina King’s directorial debut One Night in Miami has joined the line-up of the 2020 London Film Festival.

An Amazon Studios title, the film is inspired by the historic night in 1964, when four icons of sports, music and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), defeats heavyweight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialised the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). One Night in Miami is a fictional account inspired by the historic night these 4 formidable figures spent together. It looks at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. More than 40 years later, their conversations on racial injustice, religion, and personal responsibility still resonate.

Based on Kemp Powers’ award-winning play of the same name, the film was the first by a black female director to screen at the Venice Film Festival this year. Now, it’s headed to London, where it will be one of the films screened in cinemas at the hybrid online and in-person event. Four other films are only been shown in cinemas, including Pixar’s Soul and Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland and the opening and closing films (Mangrove and Ammonite), while nine of the festival’s line-up will be available online as well in cinemas, including Supernova, After Love and American Utopia. The rest of the festival will take place online with a series of virtual premieres.

“I’m thrilled that One Night in Miami will screen as part of this year’s London Film Festival,” says Ben-Adir. “The conversation that takes place between these great men in this movie is as important now as it’s ever been. It’s extra special being at home, in London, celebrating Regina King’s directorial debut and even more poignant that we premiere this film during Black History Month.”

“It’s an honour to be presenting the UK premiere of Regina King’s hugely accomplished directorial debut,” says Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director. “It’s a tour de force combining razor-sharp writing from Kemp Powers, 4 performances of gut-punching power from the male co-leads, including Londoner Kingsley Ben-Adir, and truly impressive direction from King.”

One Night in Miami will screen in cinemas on Sunday 11th October, with the festival running from 7th October to 18th October. Tickets will be bookable from Monday 21st September. For our guide to what to watch at the festival, click here – or for our complete rundown of the line-up and how it all works, click here.

 

One Night in Miami: Amazon picks up Regina King’s directorial debut

31st July 2020

Amazon Studios has picked up the global rights to One Night in Miami, Regina King’s directorial debut.

King has become a force to be reckoned with in recent years, building on her excellent work in Southland and American Crime with an Oscar-winning turn in If Beale Street Could Talk and a leading role in HBO’s Emmy-nominatd Watchmen. Now, after directing episodes of Animal Kingdom, Greenleaf, Scandal, Insecure and more, she’s stepping up to the helm of a feature film, based on Kemp Powers’ 2013 stage play about Cassius Clay.

One Night in Miami sees the young boxer emerge from the Miami Beach Convention Center to become the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion on 25th February 1964. Clay, unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws, spends the time celebrating at the Hampton House Motel 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.

Eli Goree stars as Clay, opposite Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X, Aldis Hodge as Brown and Leslie Odom Jr as Cooke.

The film will premiere at this year’s hybrid online/in-person edition of the Toronto Film Festival, and will be released later this year by Amazon Studios with an eye for an awards run.

“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 added: “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.”

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