It was a bold statement, to be sure. Marlon Wayans, playing the role of George Raveling, declared in the trailer for “Air” that “there’s nothing cool about Nike.” Yet, as the film takes us back to 1984, we soon discover that everything changed once Sonny Vaccaro (played by Ben Affleck) began to court the young and talented Michael Jordan. The result was a partnership that would go on to revolutionize the world of sports and popular culture.
From the directorial talent of Ben Affleck and starring Matt Damon as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, “Air” is a highly anticipated drama that delves into the life-changing partnership between Michael Jordan and Nike’s basketball division. Despite initial apprehension and hesitance, the introduction of the Air Jordan brand changed the game forever. The film’s logline promises a “moving story” that 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 addition to Affleck and Damon, the film also features a powerhouse cast, including Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mother and biggest supporter, Deloris Jordan, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon as James Jordan. Produced by an all-star team including Peter Guber, Jason Michael Berman, Jeff Robinov, Madison Ainley, Damon, and Affleck, and produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, and Jon Weinbach for Skydance Sports, “Air” is sure to be a must-see.
Marking Affleck’s return to directing after the success of “Live by Night” and “Argo,” “Air” will premiere on April 5 in over 3,000 theaters across the United States, with streaming accessibility in more than 240 countries soon to follow. Get a glimpse into this thrilling tale of the rise of Nike and Michael Jordan in the trailer below.
