Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are reuniting for AIR, the biopic about how the world-famous sneakers known as Air Jordans were created. The trailer for AIR: Courting A Legend has been released, and you can watch it below!
AIR tells the story of how shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) was trying to help Nike gain ground as a brand, at a time when Converse was dominating professional sports. Vaccaro had the pioneering idea to build an entire sneaker line around just one athlete – a young, gifted, player named Michael Jordan, who the NBA (and the world) didn’t yet know as a legend.
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Ben Affleck is directing AIR from a script by newcomer Alex Convery. Affleck also co-stars in the film as Phil Knight, the co-founder and head of Nike. Viola Davis (The Woman King) will also be featured as Deloris Jordan, Michael Jordan’s mother, who was protective of her son as he entered the spotlight (and all those endorsement deals). The film will also feature Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Marlon Wayans, Jessica Green, Chris Messina, Gustaf Skarsgård, Barbara Sukowa, and others.
“AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.”
“Ben, Matt and this all-star cast have delivered a fantastic film that will move, inspire and entertain audiences around the globe,” Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon and MGM Studios, said when the movie was announced. “With Ben’s incredible direction, the film delivers a nostalgic look back at a culture-defining moment that absolutely lends itself to a global theatrical event.”
Ben Affleck was also happy to let fans know that AIR will be the first theatrical release from his new venture with Damon, Artists Equity:
“Matt and I are very excited for audiences to see AIR and proud that it’s the first release from Artists Equity. The movie was an extraordinary experience where we had the honor of working with some of the best cast and crew in the business, all of whom brought passion, persistence, and creativity to a collective effort at recreating a remarkable and aspirational story.”
AIR will be released in theaters on April 5th.
