The Big George Foreman movie trailer just dropped, and its lengthy subtitle works hard to express the complexities of its story arc: The miraculous story of the once and future Heavyweight Champion of the World.
Life is filled with unexpected turns, and in the case of the former heavyweight champion Foreman that truism is an understatement. Foreman’s “miraculous” transformation from angry youth with boxing prowess into a preacher and then into beloved and genial product pitchman is quite the tale.
Now the big screen will have a go at Foreman’s life in a biopic that’s generating huge interest — with a built-in audience that goes beyond what’s available for the average pugilist pic. Foreman’s reach, just as it was in the ring, is long: If you’re not a boxing fan, you still might have George Foreman grill lying around. And you’ve seen the commercials. George Foreman is a household name.
That’s Khris Davis (Judas and the Black Messiah) in the title role in what — dramatically speaking — is yet another twist. Davis was most recently seen on stage in London in the revival of Arthur Miller‘s enduring play “Death of A Salesman.”
Miller’s great tragic title character Willy Loman is the most famous failed salesman in history. George Foreman is one of the most successful salesman in history.
Davis plays Foreman and Biff Loman, Willy’s son and perhaps the most complex character in the play — a character who experiences privately almost as many life changes as Foreman went through in the public eye. That’s range.
Big George Foreman data: Directed by: George Tillman Jr. Screenplay by: Frank Baldwin & George Tillman Jr. Cast: Khris Davis, Jasmine Mathews, Sullivan Jones, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., John Magaro, Sonja Sohn and Forest Whitaker.