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Mykelti Williamson as Don King wins over the Joe Frazier and Veronica Porché performances; Giancarlo Esposito is later raised as another eligible option.

Spike Lee is the main alternate director, with Oliver Stone also mentioned and James Toney briefly suggested as a performance swap.

Research covers Smith as an Ali pallbearer, Smith and Mann contributing salaries after the budget overrun, Ali visiting the set, and Albert Hall’s roles in Ali and Malcolm X.

Giancarlo Esposito’s Cassius Clay Sr. should lead a film about watching his son’s rise, conversion, name change, relationships, and entourage.

Will Smith’s apex is disputed among Ali, his late-1990s run, and Hitch; Michael Mann’s is placed at The Insider or the broader Insider-to-Ali imperial phase.

Bundini wins over “Ali Bomaye.”

Tom Hanks is chosen, principally as Howard Cosell; Tom Cruise is jokingly placed as Angelo Dundee.

Martin Scorsese is chosen.

The panel flags reversed Ellis Quarry/MLK chronology, doubts the Cosell Supreme Court notification, wants date cards, and notes Ali’s speech should slow by Zaire.

A ten-hour prestige series is preferred and compared with the announced Amazon Ali project.

Pete Postlethwaite as Bundini Brown and Ted Levine as the FBI agent are proposed.

Jamie Foxx is the majority choice, while Jon Voight receives one vote.