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IMDbPro

The Great White Hype

  • 1996
  • R
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
10K
YOUR RATING
Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Berg, and Jamie Foxx in The Great White Hype (1996)
Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:40
1 Video
35 Photos
ComedySport

The boxing champ's promoter thinks, change is needed. He finds the one man who's beaten his black champ (at 17), a white man now in a rock band. Like Rocky, he trains heavily whereas the cha... Read allThe boxing champ's promoter thinks, change is needed. He finds the one man who's beaten his black champ (at 17), a white man now in a rock band. Like Rocky, he trains heavily whereas the champ slacks.The boxing champ's promoter thinks, change is needed. He finds the one man who's beaten his black champ (at 17), a white man now in a rock band. Like Rocky, he trains heavily whereas the champ slacks.

  • Director
    • Reginald Hudlin
  • Writers
    • Tony Hendra
    • Ron Shelton
  • Stars
    • Samuel L. Jackson
    • Jeff Goldblum
    • Damon Wayans
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.5/10
    10K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Reginald Hudlin
    • Writers
      • Tony Hendra
      • Ron Shelton
    • Stars
      • Samuel L. Jackson
      • Jeff Goldblum
      • Damon Wayans
    • 32User reviews
    • 25Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Great White Hype
    Trailer 2:40
    Watch The Great White Hype

    Photos35

    Samuel L. Jackson and Damon Wayans in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Jamie Foxx and Michael Jace in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Lovitz, and Damon Wayans in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Peter Berg and Damon Wayans in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Jamie Foxx and Michael Jace in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Samuel L. Jackson in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Jon Lovitz and Damon Wayans in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Peter Berg, Damon Wayans, and John Rhys-Davies in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Lovitz, and Salli Richardson-Whitfield in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Berg, and Damon Wayans in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Samuel L. Jackson in The Great White Hype (1996)
    Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Berg, Damon Wayans, and Jamie Foxx in The Great White Hype (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Samuel L. Jackson
    Samuel L. Jackson
    • Rev. Fred Sultan
    Jeff Goldblum
    Jeff Goldblum
    • Mitchell Kane
    Damon Wayans
    Damon Wayans
    • James 'The Grim Reaper' Roper
    Peter Berg
    Peter Berg
    • Terry Conklin
    Corbin Bernsen
    Corbin Bernsen
    • Peter Prince
    Jon Lovitz
    Jon Lovitz
    • Sol
    Cheech Marin
    Cheech Marin
    • Julio Escobar
    John Rhys-Davies
    John Rhys-Davies
    • Johnny Windsor
    Salli Richardson-Whitfield
    Salli Richardson-Whitfield
    • Bambi
    • (as Salli Richardson)
    Jamie Foxx
    Jamie Foxx
    • Hassan El Ruk'n
    Rocky Carroll
    Rocky Carroll
    • Artemus St. John Saint
    Albert Hall
    Albert Hall
    • Roper's Manager
    Susan Gibney
    Susan Gibney
    • Vivian
    Michael Jace
    Michael Jace
    • Marvin Shabazz
    Duane Davis
    Duane Davis
    • Palace Guard #1
    Lamont Johnson
    • Palace Guard #2
    Sam Whipple
    Sam Whipple
    • Artie
    Lydell M. Cheshier
    • Palace Guard #3
    • Director
      • Reginald Hudlin
    • Writers
      • Tony Hendra
      • Ron Shelton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Reverend Fred Sultan (Samuel L. Jackson) greets a man with shoulder length black hair and a black suit, with "Hey Vincent, Vincent, where's Jules man?", a reference to Jackson's character in Pulp Fiction (1994).
    • Goofs
      The length of Roper's cigarette just before the fight.
    • Quotes

      Rev. Fred Sultan: if there isn't a white heavyweight out there for you, I'm going to create you one.

      James Roper: [Confused] "white heavyweight?", The words don't even go together, it's like saying "black unity"

    • Crazy credits
      While walking back to dressing room after fight, Conklin is followed by two little people from his entourage.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Mulholland Falls/Sunset Park/The Truth About Cats and Dogs/I Shot Andy Warhol/Wings of Courage (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Movin' On
      Performed by DJ U-Neek (as D.J. U-Neek) featuring Nyt Owl

      Written by Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart (as Dave Stewart), DJ U-Neek (as D.J. U-Neek), Nyt Owl

      Based on "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)"

      Written by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart (as Dave Stwart)

      Produced by DJ U-Neek (as D.J. U-Neek) for U-Neek Entertainment, Inc.

      D.J. U-Neek and Nyt Owl appear courtesy of U-Neek Entertainment, Inc./King Pin Records, Inc.

    User reviews32

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    With this cast it should be ten times better!
    A *major* disappointment, especially considering the great cast (Jeff Goldblum aside. I *hate* Goldblum - he's a one-dimensional actor who plays the same bloody character every film he makes and it's not even a good character!!) Samuel Jackson, Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Jon Lovitz (okay, he's also one-dimensional, but *his* character's *funny*!!) and Corbin Bernson...this should be an ace in the hole! But a poor script and worse shooting makes this film hit ground zero pretty fast. It's sloppy, it's long-winded, it shouldn't be shorter, it just needs to be put together more strongly. For example: the Goldblum interview scenes are all horrific. They should be canned or completely redone (preferably with a better actor;).

    And it's a comedy yet it's decidedly un-funny. Wayans elicits a laugh or two, and Foxx is amusing...but these two guys should be good for non-stop laughs! And Jackson is almost *too* smooth for this role. He's also much too brilliant an actor...he's poorly suited for a role that's not nearly as competent as he is.

    All in all: I actually liked this better the second time I saw it (which isn't saying that much). It's more amusing than I remember it to be. But that's still not enough. It's hardly a keeper - with this kind of cast (oh, by the way - nice cameo by Method Man but someone shoot Brian Setzer PLEASE!!!) it could be SO SO SO much better! 5/10.
    helpful•10
    13
    • kergillian
    • Apr 28, 2001

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 3, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La gran esperanza blanca
    • Filming locations
      • Hoover Dam, Arizona-Nevada Border, USA(Location)
    • Production companies
      • Atman Entertainment
      • Fred Berner Films
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,008,255
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,349,481
      • May 5, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,008,255
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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