“Blood Brothers” Trailer Reveals Complicated Friendship of Two Icons

In the 1960s, there were few figures as controversial and important as Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. Both were huge inspirations to African-Americans fighting for their civil rights. Both changed their names after converting to Islam, and both eventually left the Nation of Islam. They were close friends, and, for a time, enemies. Separately, they were the subjects of excellent biopics, and together celebrated and challenged in One Night in Miami.

The new Netflix documentary Blood Brothers explores their complicated relationship. Using never-before-seen footage, as well as new interviews with family members, director Marcus A. Clarke (Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries) weaves together a powerful story of what brought them together and drove them apart. Their friendship lasted just three years, but in that time they made a tremendous impact on the world.

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali premieres on Netflix on September 9.

About Kip Mooney

Like many film critics born during and after the 1980s, my hero is Roger Ebert. The man was already the best critic in the nation when he won the Pulitzer in 1975, but his indomitable spirit during and after his recent battle with cancer keeps me coming back to read not only his reviews but his insightful commentary on the everyday. But enough about a guy you know a lot about. I knew I was going to be a film critic—some would say a snob—in middle school, when I had to voraciously defend my position that The Royal Tenenbaums was only a million times better than Adam Sandler’s remake of Mr. Deeds. From then on, I would seek out Wes Anderson’s films and avoid Sandler’s like the plague. Still, I like to think of myself as a populist, and I’ll be just as likely to see the next superhero movie as the next Sundance sensation. The thing I most deplore in a movie is laziness. I’d much rather see movies with big ambitions try and fail than movies with no ambitions succeed at simply existing. I’m also a big advocate of fun-bad movies like The Room and most of Nicolas Cage’s work. In the past, I’ve written for The Dallas Morning News and the North Texas Daily, which I edited for a semester. I also contributed to Dallas-based Pegasus News, which in the circle of life, is now part of The Dallas Morning News, where I got my big break in 2007. Eventually, I’d love to write and talk about film full-time, but until that’s a viable career option, I work as an auditor for Wells Fargo. I hope to one day meet my hero, go to the Toronto International Film Festival, and compete on Jeopardy. Until then, I’m excited to share my love of film with you.