

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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7.6/10
264 votes
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- —
- Box office
- $2.8M
- Language
- English
- africa
- boxer
- black magic
- world champion
- zaire
- psychic power
- sympathy
- endurance
- sports documentary
- power of love
- heavyweight champion
- boxing
Top billed cast
Behind the camera
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
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Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- PremiereSundance Film Festival20 Jan 1996
- Theatrical (limited)PG25 Oct 1996
- Theatrical14 Feb 1997
United KingdomGB
- Theatrical16 May 1997
- Physical12Blu-ray4 Nov 2024
CzechiaCZ
- Physical14 Dec 1997
NetherlandsNL
- Theatrical1617 Apr 1997
- Physical16DVD9 Apr 2009
- TV16RTL 716 Aug 2014
Frequently asked questions
When We Were Kings was released on 25 October 1996.
Audience reviews
1- P
pablogeezer
8/28/2013
Roger Ebert February 27, 1997 The heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire on Oct. 30, 1974--”The Rumble in the Jungle”--is enshrined as one of the great sports events of the century. It was also a cultural and political happening. Into the capital of Kinshasa flew planeloads of performers for an “African Woodstock,” TV crews, Howard Cosell at the head of an international conti…
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