When We Were Kings
“The untold story of the Rumble in the Jungle.”
It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.
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Your review
Cast
28 people
Muhammad Ali
Self
Also in
The Greatest
Freedom Road
The Spinners
Themselves
George Foreman
Self
Also in
The Fighter
American Inventor
Don King
Self
Also in
Head Office
Miami Vice
James Brown
Self
Known for
The Blues Brothers
Rocky IV
B.B. King
Self
Known for
Blues Brothers 2000
Spike Lee
Self
Known for
Do the Right Thing
Malcolm X
Mobutu Sese Seko
Self
Also in
Mobutu’s Game
Eruption
Norman Mailer
Self
Known for
Ragtime
George Plimpton
Self
Known for
The Civil War
Just Visiting
Malick Bowens
Self
Known for
Out of Africa
Outbreak
Lloyd Price
Self
Leon Gast Director · Albert Maysles Cinematographer Maryse Alberti Cinematographer
Worldwide gross $2.8M · United States release October 25, 1996 · Produced in United States, Congo - Kinshasa
Box office
Worldwide gross
$2,789,985
Production
David Sonenberg Production
Production
DAS Films
Production
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Production
United States · Congo - Kinshasa
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · French
Release dates
United States · January 20, 1996
Premiere · Sundance Film Festival
United States · October 25, 1996
Limited theatrical
United States
February 14, 1997 · Theatrical
Czechia
December 14, 1997 · Physical
Netherlands
April 17, 1997 · Theatrical
April 9, 2009 · Physical · DVD
August 16, 2014 · TV · RTL 7
United Kingdom
May 16, 1997 · Theatrical
November 4, 2024 · Physical · Blu-ray
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Some details come from TheTVDB.