Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reunite in new Air trailer

Air, a Ben Affleck-directed film, follows Nike's journey to court the then-unknown rookie Michael Jordan

By Emma Keates  |  February 9, 2023 | 5:18pm
Film News Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reunite in new Air trailer
Matt Damon in Air Photo: Amazon Studios

Ever since Pennyworth: The Origins Of Batman’s Butler was unceremoniously axed over at HBO Max, we at The A.V. Club know just how much the world has been hankering for a new origin story to fill that gaping hole. Luckily, Amazon Studios is stepping up to the plate with an underdog story for the ages, which follows the rise of relatively unknown cultural entities Nike and Michael Jordan, from obscure actor duo Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

While it may seem absurd now, Affleck’s new film Air takes us all the way back to a time (1984) when Nikes were merely an unknown second-string to Converse and Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time, was little more than “a rookie who’s never set foot on an NBA court.”

AIR | Official Trailer

Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, an executive of Nike’s then-beleaguered basketball division, tasked with raising the name of the brand. After watching a (VCR!) tape of Jordan on the court, Vaccaro stakes his entire career on scoring a partnership with the then-unknown player, a gamble which obviously ended up paying massive dividends for all parties involved, but not before passing through skeptical marketing exec Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) and, most difficultly, Jordan’s mother Deloris (Viola Davis).

Affleck is stepping behind the camera to direct Damon for the first time ever, along with a truly stacked cast that also includes Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, Matthew Maher, Gustaf Skarsgård, and Julius Tennon in addition to Bateman and Davis.

Just from this short trailer, it’s clear that this is one for all the sports-movie lovers, business-movie lovers, heartwarming-story lovers, and, last but certainly not least, corded phone enthusiasts out there in the world. It truly is the story of an era.

Air premieres April 5, only in theaters.

 
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