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When We Were Kings

1996·Movie·PG·89 min·7.6(254)

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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Where to watch When We Were Kings in United States

Click a service to open When We Were Kings there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.

Where is When We Were Kings streaming around the world?

CountryStreaming onRent / Buy
United StatesCriterion Channel, The Roku Channel, Shout! Factory TVAmazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
United KingdomNow TV
CanadaCriterion ChannelApple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
AustraliaDocPlay, DocPlay Amazon Channel, SBS On DemandJustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
SpainAmazon Prime Video, Acontra Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, TivifyAcontra Plus

About When We Were Kings

When We Were Kings is a 1996 English-language documentary film directed by Leon Gast. The cast is led by Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King. It has a runtime of 1h 29m. Viewers rate it 7.6/10 across 300 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, The Roku Channel, Shout! Factory TV.

When We Were Kings was produced by David Sonenberg Production and DAS Films and made in United States of America and Congo. It was released on October 25, 1996, and carries a PG certification. At the box office it grossed around $3 million worldwide.

Director
Leon Gast
Writers
Leon Gast
Release date
October 25, 1996
Original language
English
Age rating
PG
Status
Released
Country
United States of America, Congo
Box office
$3 million
Production
David Sonenberg Production, DAS Films
#africa#boxer#black magic#world champion#zaire#psychic power#sympathy#endurance#sports documentary#power of love#heavyweight champion#boxing#racist stereotype#heavyweight boxer

When We Were Kings cast & crew

When We Were Kings was directed by Leon Gast and written by Leon Gast.

The cast features Muhammad Ali as Self, George Foreman as Self, Don King as Self, James Brown as Self, B.B. King as Self, and Spike Lee as Self.

Behind the camera, cinematography is by Paul Goldsmith and it was produced by David Sonenberg and Leon Gast.

Is When We Were Kings worth watching?

When We Were Kings holds an audience score of 7.6/10 from 254 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed documentary films.

At 1h 29m, it's an easy, time-light watch.

If you enjoy documentary, When We Were Kings is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch When We Were Kings

In United States, you can stream When We Were Kings on Criterion Channel, The Roku Channel, and Shout! Factory TV, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.

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Cast of When We Were Kings

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Self

George Foreman

George Foreman

Self

Don King

Don King

Self

James Brown

James Brown

Self

B.B. King

B.B. King

Self

Spike Lee

Spike Lee

Self

No photo

Mobutu Sese Seko

Self

Norman Mailer

Norman Mailer

Self

George Plimpton

George Plimpton

Self

Malick Bowens

Malick Bowens

Self

No photo

Lloyd Price

Self

Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba

Self

When We Were Kings — FAQs

Where can I watch When We Were Kings in United States?

When We Were Kings is streaming on Criterion Channel, The Roku Channel, Shout! Factory TV in United States.

Is When We Were Kings on Criterion Channel?

Yes — When We Were Kings is currently available on Criterion Channel in United States.

What language is When We Were Kings in?

When We Were Kings is originally in English, with audio tracks including English, French. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.

How long is When We Were Kings?

When We Were Kings runs 1 hours 29 minutes (89 minutes).

What is When We Were Kings rated?

When We Were Kings is rated PG. It holds a 7.6/10 audience score from 254 ratings.

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