It isn’t easy to find anyone in Hollywood who’s having a better year than Will Packer. The film producer has worked on 10 films that debuted at No. 1 and grossed over $1 billion at the box office. Additionally, Packer joined the Atlanta Falcons’ ownership group this spring.
Next up for Packer is the release of the limited series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,” which will stream on Peacock starting on Sept. 5. The star-studded production features the likes of Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, Clifton Powell, and Chloe Bailey. It centers on one of the more pivotal nights that made Atlanta the Black mecca in 1970 when Muhammad Ali fought in the city. Each episode of the series leaves cliffhangers and builds suspense, with the viewers feeding for more. It’s an acting masterclass with thrill and occasional touches of humor.
Packer stopped by rolling out to discuss the project and his sensational career.
What has Atlanta meant for you in terms of building your dynasty?
When I think about Atlanta, I think about a city of dreamers. I think about a city of entrepreneurs. I think about a city of hustlers. And that is me. I’m a little bit all three of those. That is why I have found my tribe, so to speak, here in Atlanta. I love the fact that you’ve got amazing creative energy. You’ve got amazing business energy. You’ve got people striving and aspiring to achieve the highest heights of success. Many have done that, and I certainly have benefited from the fact that I’m amongst the community of folks who are all like-minded.
It’s interesting because that ties into “Fight Night,” because “Fight Night” is about these dreamers, hustlers, and entrepreneurs, and about Atlanta at a time before it was Atlanta, a pivotal moment of its growth. It is at an inflection point. We’re talking early ’70s. We’re talking about Atlanta [when it wasn’t]looked at with a revered eye on the national, much less global stage. It’s not New York, it’s not L.A., it’s not Chicago, it’s not Miami, it’s Atlanta. We don’t know what Atlanta is going to become, but the dreamers, hustlers and entrepreneurs who are behind the story of “Fight Night” certainly help propel Atlanta into the city that we know today, an amazing Black Mecca, Black Hollywood, a place that is a global force to be recognized.
What does it mean to be a part of an ownership group in the NFL?
It’s huge.
You’re talking about a small group of people of any demographic or race when you talk about sports ownership. Then, specifically in NFL ownership, there aren’t many people who own any piece of an NFL team, the biggest sports franchise in the world. Then, when you talk about African Americans, that list gets much smaller.
I’m proud to be a part of that small group. Not just because I’m a part of it and for my legacy and growth – certainly all that is very important – but because I am hopeful it will allow the next generation, the next “Will Packer,” whether they are a male, female, or somebody who has ties to sports [to]say, “Success for me is not just about being on the gridiron, being able to have athletic prowess on a basketball court or any field. It’s also being in ownership ranks. If somebody like Will Packer can succeed in that world, then so I can.”
