Folks, Harry here... The following came from one of my fellas that's been sending such tidbits (accurately I might add) for 4 years now... It seems that ALI might be completely dead... or at least entering a coma. Michael Mann and Will Smith have been prepping for the film for almost the entire year thus far, but that problems might very well be sending the project onto some shelf where it will sit... pending resurrection. For those of you looking forward to this film... perhaps Sony will get behind Mann on this... but for some of us... who feel that it is too soon to do the 'great' ALI story on film... I would like time to pass.... MEANWHILE, the William Friedkin and Ving Rhames Sonny Liston project, NIGHT TRAIN seems to be moving full steam ahead. Here's our insider...

Seems like after months of location scouting in Africa, having Will Smith train for the part, another script revision, etc. that problems between Sony and Michael Mann may be sending ALI to its grave.

Production was set to start 1/4/01, but as of now it's all been scrapped.

FYI...