The conflicting ideology between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X takes center stage in the soon-to-be-released docuseries “Genius: MLK/X.”
Slated to return in February to coincide with Black History Month, National Geographic’s latest installment of “Genius: MLK/X” will showcase “the formative years, pioneering accomplishments, dueling philosophies, and key personal relationships of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre)” throughout the eight-part series.
Also, in the series, we’ll get an in-depth look at the roles Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson) played with their husbands at the time and how they came to the forefront as “formidable equals of the Movement.”
In the just-released trailer, we’re taken to the first and only time the two icons met during a Washington, D.C. senate debate in 1964.
“Who do you think this is going to hurt more, you or me?” Malcolm asks before Martin replies, “I imagine it’s unlikely to hate either one of us.”
“Well then, let’s keep them guessing,” says Malcolm, with Martin concluding, “Amen.”
“Genius: MLK/X” is, to date, the fourth installment in National Geographic’s anthology series. In 2017, the show debuted with an installment featuring Geoffrey Rush as famed theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. Season two featured Antonio Banderas as legendary Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, and season three starred Cynthia Erivo as the iconic Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
Episode one of “Genius: MLK/X” will premiere on Feb. 1 on National Geographic and ABC and will be available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu on Feb. 2.
Check out the trailer below.
