NBA great LeBron James has signed on to help tell the story of another legendary athlete: Muhammad Ali.
HBO announced Monday that it has started production on a multi-part, as-yet-untitled documentary about the late boxing champ, from James’ and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Entertainment and Antoine Fuqua’s Fuqua Films. The network did not announce a premiere date.
Ali, a three-time heavyweight champion, died in June at age 74. HBO said the project was being produced with the full cooperation of the Ali estate and will include never-before-seen photos and footage from the fighter’s family.
“It’s tough to put into words how much it means to me to be a part of this project honoring the legacy and telling the extremely important story of the great Muhammad Ali,” James wrote in a statement. “He transcended sports and used his platform to empower people, which paved the way for all athletes and people of every race and gender that came after him, myself included. It’s important that his story continues for generations to come, and it’s an honor for SpringHill Entertainment and me to be a part of this.”
“Muhammad Ali meant many things to many people, and he is someone who had a deep impact on me from an early age,” Fuqua said in a statement. Fuqua’s previous films include “Training Day” as well as this year’s “The Magnificent Seven.”