When We Were Kings
“The untold story of the Rumble in the Jungle.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
WHEN WE WERE KINGS TRAILER 1996
Type: Trailer • Published 2015-12-06
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Sundance Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 25, 1996
Wide Cinema Exhibition
December 14, 1997
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
Undisclosed
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.8M
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Leon Gast
- Screenplay & Story
- Leon Gast
- Original Title
- When We Were Kings
- Country of Origin
- United States of America, Congo
- Spoken Languages
- English, French
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.8M
- Production Studios
- David Sonenberg Production, DAS Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Leon Gast
Leon Gast
Paul Goldsmith, Maryse Alberti, Kevin Keating, Roderick Young, Albert Maysles
Leon Gast, Taylor Hackford, Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte
David Sonenberg, Taylor Hackford, Leon Gast
Department Leadership Roster
Leon Gast
Director
Taylor Hackford
Producer
Leon Gast
Producer
Paul Goldsmith
Director of Photography
Maryse Alberti
Director of Photography
Kevin Keating
Director of Photography
Leon Gast
Editor
Roderick Young
Director of Photography
Albert Maysles
Director of Photography
Taylor Hackford
Editor
Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte
Editor
Keith Robinson
Editor
Leon Gast
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for When We Were Kings.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring When We Were Kings.
Documentaries
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Movie Collection
Letterboxd's Top 250 Documentary Films
Letterboxd's official Top 250 documentary feature films, ranked by average member rating. Letterboxd 官方 Top 250 最佳纪录长片榜单： 根据平台用户的平均评分进行排序的纪录长片精选榜单。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:36:46 UTC+8)*
Limelight Not Seen
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
Boxing
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Frequently Asked Questions About When We Were Kings
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is When We Were Kings about?
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.
Who directed When We Were Kings?
When We Were Kings was directed by Leon Gast.
Who stars in When We Were Kings?
The principal cast of When We Were Kings includes Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown, B.B. King.
When was When We Were Kings released and how long is it?
When We Were Kings was released in 1996 with a total runtime of 1h 29m.
How much did When We Were Kings make at the box office?
When We Were Kings grossed $2.8M in worldwide ticket sales.
What is the age rating and content advisory for When We Were Kings?
When We Were Kings holds official age classifications: GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).