The squad’s all here. And by the way, did you know that Viola Davis is now an EGOT? I know, right?
AMP in the post
So, we’ve finally gotten our first look at MGM’s “AIR” and it’s as interesting as they promised it would be. I mean, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in the same room, count me in.
Along with being produced by Ben Affleck, the movie follows the real life story of then-rookie Mike Jordan partnering up with sports apparel giant Nike to launch AIR sneakers.
All We Know About the “Extraordinary” Nike Drama “AIR”
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have combined their collective talents for a brand new project once again. “AIR” – a sports drama based on a real life story – is the first film from Affleck and Damon’s new production company Artists Equity, and it marks the first directing job for Affleck since 2016’s “Live By Night”.
The movie sees Affleck, 50, play Philip Knight, the co-founder of Nike, Inc., and Damon, 52, star as Sonny Vaccaro, the sports marketing exec who was vital to signing Michael Jordan to Nike and launch Air Jordan sneakers.
AMP in the post
In addition, Viola Davis has been tapped to play Jordan’s mom Deloris, but here’s the twist, Davis’ onscreen husband will be played by Davis’ real-life husband, Julius Tennon.
In addition to these four, “AIR” also stars Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker and Gustaf Skarsgård.
“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,” an official synopsis reads. “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.”
In 1998, Affleck and Damon won the Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars for co-writing the script for “Good Will Hunting”. The last time Damon and Affleck shared screentime together was on 2021’s “The Last Duel”.
AMP in the post
“Matt and I are very excited for audiences to see Air and proud that it’s the first release from Artists Equity,” Affleck said in a January statement, per Variety. “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.”
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