The trailer for “One Night in Miami,” Regina King’s feature film directorial debut, dropped on Monday.
“One Night in Miami” was written by Olivier-nominated Kemp Powers and is based on his 2013 stage play. It follows a young Muhammad Ali (when he still went by Cassius Clay) on the night of Feb. 25, 1964, as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center as the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion after defeating Sonny Liston.
Amazon acquired the film back in July of last year and said its plan was to release the film in time for awards contention. If Amazon’s awards team is successful in its pursuit, King could become the first Black woman nominated for the best director Academy Award.
Check out the trailer above.
TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde wrote in his review of “One Night in Miami,” that shows King to be a filmmaker who’s clearly interested in balancing a variety of literal and figurative textures. She’s been in the business since she was 14 years old, but now, 35 years after her debut as an actress, she’s opening what promises to be an exciting new chapter in an enduring career.
The film follows Ali — unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws — as he 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.
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” premieres on Amazon Prime on Jan. 15, 2021.