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The Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (Mvaaf) has announced the opening lineup for its 23rd annual celebration, providing a platform for Black and brown filmmakers, taking place Aug. 1-9, 2025.

Kicking off the festivities on Aug. 1 will be a screening of the sports documentary Unraveling George. Directed by Mike Tollin and narrated by Marlon Wayans, who portrayed George Raveling in 2023’s Air, the film chronicles the notable journey of the Hall of Fame basketball coach known for guiding the careers of several all-star players, including Michael Jordan. A Color of Conversation will immediately follow the screening.

That evening, The Dutchman — starring André Holland, Kate Mara, Aldis Hodge, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Zazie Beetz — will be presented. The thriller about a successful Black man who finds himself in a psychological game of cat and mouse with a mysterious white woman is based on the 1964 Obie Award-winning play by Amiri Baraka...

Three years after the theatrical release of Nia DaCostas Candyman remake, Jordan Peele is producing another horror movie for Universal Pictures through his Monkeypaw Productions. The studio finally announced the newest title and 2025 release date for Peeles Marlon Wayans-led project, which was originally titled Goat.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Pictures upcoming psychological horror thriller will now officially be titled as Him. The film has been scheduled to arrive in theaters next year on Sept. 19, 2025. This marks Wayans first solo leading project in a long while, after nearly five years since starring in the Netflix comedy Sextuplets, which he also co-wrote and produced. His most recent acting credit was last years sports drama film Air, in which he played the role of Michael Jordans former coach George Raveling.

Related Monkey Man Almost Died at Netflix Before Jordan Peele Stepped In Monkey Man producer Jordan Peele explains why Dev Patels...

Charles Grice “Lefty” Driesell, a Hall of Fame coach who made Maryland into a national power, died today at 92. He died at his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, his family said, but did not disclose the cause.

Maryland planned to honor Driesell with a moment of silence before its game against No. 14 Illinois later today. The university said the team would wear throwback uniforms from the 1970s, last worn on Jan. 21, when the Terrapins honored Driesell with an “Ode to Lefty.”

Driesell finished with 786 victories over parts of five decades and was the first coach to win more than 100 games at four NCAA Division I schools. He started at Davidson, and then brought Maryland into national prominence from 1969-86, a stay that ended with the death of All-American Len Bias from a cocaine dose.

Driesell then won five regular-season conference titles over nine seasons at James Madison and finished with...

Marlon Wayans has been set to play the greatest athlete of all time in Jordan Peele’s currently unscheduled sports horror ‘Goat.’

Based on a pitch by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie, the project centres on a promising young athlete who is invited to train with a team’s retiring star.

Justin Tipping is on board to direct. Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper and Jamal Watson are producers. Executive producers are David Kern and Kate Oh. Universal EVP Production Development Sara Scott and Director of Development Tony Ducret will oversee the project for the studio.

Also in news – Laurence Fishburne joins cast of ‘The Witcher’ for Season 4

Screen testing is currently underway for the character of the young athlete, according to executives on the movie, Wayans was always first choice to play the older great athlete.

Wayans recently starred as George Raveling in Prime Video’s ‘Air’ alongside Matt Damon,...

Exclusive: For their sports horror pic Goat, Universal Pictures and Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw banner looked to have found the actor to play their greatest of all time athlete as Deadline is hearing Marlon Wayans is set to star in in the pic. Justin Tipping is on board to direct the pic which is produced by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, and Jamal Watson. Executive producers are David Kern and Kate Oh.

The project, based on a pitch by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie, centers on a promising young athlete who is invited to train with a team’s retiring star.

While execs have taken the screen testing route for finding the young athlete character, sources say Wayans was always top of the studio’s list for its titular character. Exec Vice President of Production Development Sara Scott and Director of Development Tony Ducret will oversee the project for the Studio.

Ben Affleck’s Air employs a large ensemble cast to tell the story of how Nike landed Michael Jordan and created the iconic Air Jordan line of shoes, with Deloris Jordan brokering a revolutionary deal for her son.

Affleck — who pulls triple duty as director, producer (via his newly formed Artists Equity with Matt Damon, who stars in the film as Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro) and actor, playing Nike CEO Phil Knight — joined his stars Viola Davis (Deloris Jordan), Julius Tennon (Michael’s father, James Jordan; also Davis’ husband), Marlon Wayans (Olympic basketball coach George Raveling) and Jason Bateman (Nike marketing vp Rob Strasser) to discuss acting opposite a phone receiver and fighting for what you are worth, onscreen and off.

This is a large ensemble cast. What role were you most anticipatory of casting?

Ben Affleck Part of the genesis [of casting] was a conversation one afternoon with Michael Jordan. The...

Ben Affleck is once again taking on the dual role of director and actor in his new film, "Air," which is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video. The film, filled with a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, and Marlon Wayans, digs into the origin story of Air Jordans, the sneaker and basketball shoe line that revolutionized athletic apparel as well as the overall Nike brand.

At the center of the film is Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), a Nike salesman who is driven to make the company as successful as other dominant shoe brands of the 1980s, like Converse and Adidas. With a crystal-clear vision in mind, Vaccaro knew the only way Nike would become the next greatest shoe line was with a rising athlete behind it, aka Michael Jordan. Though the partnership did not come easy at first, Jordan and Nike eventually joined forces to launch...

Plot: In 1984, Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) tries to recruit Michael Jordan as a Hail Mary to save the fledgling basketball shoes division.

Review: Ben Affleck‘s Air allows the director to play to all his strengths as a director and actor. Like Argo, it shines a light on an intriguing event from the eighties, but unlike that film, the stakes here aren’t necessarily life and death. But, if you think the idea of a movie about Michael Jordan being signed to Nike is minor, you’d be wrong, as this is a truly involving, entertaining depiction of everything that went into the landmark deal. And this deal forever changed the way athletes are compensated the world over.

Matt Damon is at his best as the plucky Vaccaro. A passionate devotee of the game, he’s trying to put Nike on the map amongst basketball players at a time when Nike,...

Ben Affleck has been known to make the kind of old-school, supremely entertaining movies that make you want to bang your fists on the table and let out a “This is how you do it!”. And Air, unsurprisingly, is another one of his gambles that turns out to be a win for him and the everyone else involved. Without infusing his creation with too much gimmicky tension, Affleck makes you swoon over his instinctive mastery, with the story of a win echoing through the lobbies and the offices instead of the wild uproar of people witnessing Jordan’s magic on the court. There’s no big reveal to be found down the line with Air, which has found its name in the groundbreaking foundation of Air Jordan, a pair of shoes worn by a legendary basketball player. It’s about the wild passage one risky sports marketing deal provided for...

If “The Last Dance” taught us anything, it’s that people love Michael Jordan content — and now we have another special about His Airness and, more specifically, his shoes. The new film “Air” comes to Prime Video on Friday, May 12 and tells the tale of the partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division, which revolutionized the worlds of sports and pop culture with the Air Jordan brand. “Air” stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis, and more. You can watch with a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime Video..

How to Watch Ben Affleck's 'Air' When: Friday, May 12, 2023 Where: Amazon Prime Video Stream: Watch with a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime Video. 30-Day Free Trial$8.99 / month amazon.com About Ben Affleck's 'Air'

“Air” follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team of desperate sneaker employees with everything on the line,...

After 38 days in theaters, Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures, and Artists Equity’s Air will stream on Prime Video on May 12 in more than 240 countries.

The Ben Affleck directed, and starring movie about Nike courting a young Michael Jordan to make the signature Air Jordan show repped Amazon’s return to theatrical releases after a day-and-date strategy. The pic opened to $20.2M over the five day Easter holiday and now counts over $47.6M stateside.

Air notched a 92% Certified Fresh Tomatometer rating among critics, a 98% verified audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an A CinemaScore.

Matt Damon plays maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, with Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, and Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, among others. The...

Today it was announced that Ben Affleck’s Air, from Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures, and the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, will premiere in India exclusively on Prime Video on May 12 in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

Air has been praised by audiences and critics alike, currently boasting a 92% “Certified Fresh” Tomatometer rating and a 98% verified audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an “A” CinemaScore.

From award-winning director Ben Affleck, 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.

Amazon Studios’ first post-covid theatrical gambit, “Air,” tells the mostly untold story of how Nike convinced a promising NBA rookie named Michael Jordan to sign with them over the market-dominating likes of Addidas and Converse. Directed by Ben Affleck and starring Matt Damon alongside a packed ensemble cast, the film also stars Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans and Chris Messina and has debuted to mostly rapturous reviews and early-bird Oscar buzz.

It’s also the feature screenwriting debut of 25-year-old Alex Convery.

Plucked from obscurity to potential fortune and glory, the Black List-nominated screenwriter experienced a Hollywood-style Cinderella story when his spec script, written in the early days of Covid as he binged ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” got snapped up by Affleck and Damon and turned into the debut feature for their aspirational Artists Equity production company.

Convery sat down with TheWrap to discuss penning a...

Air tells the true story of Nike signing Michael Jordan on a five-year sneaker contract, but the movie takes many creative liberties. The Ben Affleck-directed movie takes place in 1984, a time when Jordan was just 21 years old and was wanted by all the top sneaker companies, and when Nike only had 17 percent of the sneaker market in the U.S., which was led by Adidas and Converse. But in a David vs. Goliath-type story, Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a Nike marketing executive, achieves the impossible by beating the other sports brands to sign the greatest basketball player of all time.

Air has gotten overwhelmingly great reviews from audiences and critics, as it has a strong 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. That isn't bad for a movie originally planned to be immediately available on Amazon Prime Video without a theatrical release. But despite the critical acclaim and the copious number of...

Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in Air Photo: Courtesy Of Amazon Studios © Amazon Content Services LLC

Wow, the last few weeks at the multiplex could almost be summed up in a slight twist on the title of the signature tune of the movie’s most popular singing cowboy, “We’re Back in the 80s Again”. Who’d have thought that the “go-go” decade would be such fertile ground for current filmmakers? Now, there was music with Spinning Gold (though much of it covers the late 70s), and the toy/game trifecta of D&d, the Mario Bros., and Tetris. Well, this new release concerns a big fashion item, though it has similar themes to that last film. Like that story, its main focus isn’t the “product”, but the hustling guy (like Henk) who will risk everything for a “piece of the pie” (as...

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Air

Set in the 1980s, Air has a great soundtrack that is jam-packed with big and memorable hits from the era. Directed by Ben Affleck, who also stars alongside Matt Damon, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, and Viola Davis, Air tells the story of the significant and historic deal Nike made with Michael Jordan in 1984. The film has received plenty of critical acclaim and a high audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

To no one’s surprise, Air has a significant amount of songs from the 1980s. The film’s soundtrack truly sets the tone for the movie, which doesn’t necessarily live or die by its song choices. Rather, it is elevated by them. As Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro attempts to sign then-rookie basketball player Michael Jordan to a multimillion dollar deal, Air’s music takes viewers on that journey with him and his team.

Amazon Studios’ Air tells the incredible story of how Nike developed a partnership with Michael Jordan, created the hugely successful Air Jordan brand, and changed the way athletes are compensated for endorsements. Ben Affleck directs and stars in the film inspired by a true story – a film that wouldn’t have been made without the blessing of the NBA legend.

“I went to speak to Michael because I’ve been lucky enough to run across him a few times. I’m not going to act like me and him are friends, you know what I mean? Just like idolized the guy and every now and again I’ve had a chance to spend time with him. It’s been very memorable for me. Probably he’s forgotten it,” recalled Affleck during Air’s press conference. “So, I had at least enough of an in to say, ‘Hey, you know, can...

A wise man once asked: “Is it the shoes?” The question has plagued generations of sneaker fanatics, amateur ballers, and would-be Hall-of-Famers, all of whom would give their right rotator cuff to be Just. Like. Mike.

Thankfully, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Air has provided an answer. It pops out of the mouth of a man the latter is playing, John “Sonny” Vaccaro, a marketing executive at Nike who was trying to get the company a foothold in the basketball world. Converse and Adidas have long dominated the game,...

Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan is portrayed by an up-and-coming actor in Air, though not much is seen of him in the movie. Flashing back to the 1980s, Air tells the true story of how Nike shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro hatched a plan to sign basketball rookie Michael Jordan to a revolutionary deal with the brand, which would go on to be the famous Air Jordan shoeline. Directed by Ben Affleck with a leading cast that includes Affleck himself, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, and Viola Davis, Air is already a hit with critics as it boasts a Fresh 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Michael Jordan’s legacy and massive influence are certainly at the heart of Air, but he isn’t the star of the movie; in fact, the young version of the NBA all-star hardly appears in the 2023 Amazon film. Rather, the movie focuses on Nike’s side of the...

Although Ben Affleck’s Air will tell the story of the “game-changing partnership” between Nike and the then-rookie Michael Jordan, the NBA superstar doesn’t actually appear in the movie. While speaking on the Inside Total Film podcast, Ben Affleck explained the choice not to include Michael Jordan as a character.

“Admittedly, we made as much a sort of fable as anything else, because it’s really about a character who never appears in the movie, in Michael Jordan,” Ben Affleck explained. “I felt that he’s just too iconic and recognizable and special, where you immediately would know the whole thing was a lie if I tried to tell you somebody else was Michael Jordan.” Affleck continued: “Fundamentally, what I love about it is that it’s actually about the person that I feel guided him, and serves to represent women like her all over the world, particularly in the United States,...

It’s been more than 25 years since Ben Affleck became the youngest Oscar winner for best original screenplay for “Good Will Hunting,” which he co-wrote and starred in with Matt Damon.

Isn’t it time for a sequel? Not so much.

Damon laughed when revealing that Affleck was recently approached for a follow-up movie. “Someone just tried to pitch Ben ‘Good Will Hunting 2,’” Damon told me Monday at the premiere of “Air” in Los Angeles. “I shit you not — that happened. He told me today. He was like, ‘You’re not going to believe what I heard.’ This was a flat-out sequel. I don’t get it.”

Affleck shook his head when I told him that Damon dished about the pitch. “Matt is always telling stories that he should not be telling,” Affleck said.

When asked for details, Affleck laughed: “It’s not a sequel we’re going to pursue.

When Ben Affleck presented the world premiere of his new film Air at South by Southwest Film & Ftv Festival in Austin earlier this month, the director, producer and star of the Amazon Studios release called it “the most important night of my professional life.”

Monday night in Westwood must’ve been a close second.

Affleck turned up to the Regency Village Theatre for the L.A. premiere of his new film, which traces the roots of a game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and culture with the Air Jordan brand.

It casts Matt Damon as Nike’s resident basketball expert, Sonny Vaccaro, Affleck as Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight, Jason Bateman as Nike marketing chief Rob Strasser, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Sonny’s colleague and advisor, Chris Messina as Jordan’s agent David Falk, Marlon Wayans...

From award-winning director Ben Affleck, 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.

Air features an all-star cast, including Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon as James Jordan.

Air reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon,...

Ben Affleck’s Air operates in a respectful and deeply reverential register when it comes to its subject, his family and the sport in which he made his legacy. The film, which premiered at SXSW, chronicles the tense Nike campaign to sign Michael Jordan, then an NBA rookie, to his first sneaker deal in 1984. That contract, closed a year before the first Air Jordans were sold to the public, changed Nike’s reputation and altered the way players negotiated brand deals.

Movies about corporate legalities and closed-door meetings are rarely anyone’s idea of a good time, but there are ways to inject them with energy. Tetris, for example, which also premiered at SXSW this year, took the genre route, turning the history of a video game licensing battle into a Cold War thriller. In Air, Affleck attaches himself to the sentimental, reaching for a narrative that recasts the deal...

“Viola, I love you. Your outfit is eating.”

That was but one of many laudatory comments the cast and crew of Air received following its premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas, and it prompted the film’s director and co-star, Ben Affleck, to crack, “I never get that comment… but well-deserved, and I see why!” (For the record, Davis looked flawless in an all-white suit.)

A late entry — and the closing-night film — to the fest, the Amazon Studios feature explores the creation of the first Air Jordan sneaker,...

Mumbai, March 15 (Ians) The upcoming Ben Affleck directorial ‘Air’ which stars Matt Damon as the maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro will be the closing film at the ongoing edition of the SXSW Film & TV Festival. After this, the film will be released in cinemas on April 5.

‘Air’ presents the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionised the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand.

Claudette Godfrey, VP of Film & TV, SXSW, said in a statement: “We are thrilled to close out the 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival with Air. Ben Affleck has crafted an exceptional film filled with outstanding performances that capture the emotional ride behind the creation of this legendary brand. We know it will be a true one-of-a-kind experience for our SXSW crowda.

The film’s story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line,...

Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in Air Photo: Courtesy Of Amazon Studios © Amazon Content Services LLC

From award-winning director Ben Affleck, 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.

Check out the brand new Air spot from the Big Game and see the movie courtside April 5.

Air features an all-star cast, including Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk,...

Mumbai, Feb 10 (Ians) The Ben Affleck directorial ‘Air’ brings to light the game-changing partnership between a then rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionised the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. The film is set to have a direct-to-digital release in India.

The 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.

The film sees Matt Damon playing the maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Affleck stepping into the shoes of Nike co-founder Phil Knight.

Talking about the film, Ben Affleck said: “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...

For those of us who don’t know our Nike basketball shoe history, the trailer for Ben Affleck’s Air pretty much lays out the entire story. Affleck stars in and directs a retelling of the true story of how Nike’s decision to take a chance on Michael Jordan changed the company’s fortune.

The trailer arrived online prior to the film’s Super Bowl spot and was accompanied by six new photos.

Affleck stars as Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his offscreen Bff Matt Damon, who he’s never directed in a feature film up until Air, plays Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (the man who made it all happen.) The cast also includes Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mom, Deloris Jordan. Jason Bateman plays Rob Strasser, Chris Messina is David Falk, Marlon Wayans is George Raveling, Chris Tucker is Howard White, Matthew Maher is Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård is Horst Dassler,...

Air directed by Ben Affleck, the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, will premiere this year on Prime Video. “Ben, Matt, and this all-star cast have delivered a fantastic film that will move, inspire, and entertain audiences around the globe,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon and MGM Studios. “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.”

Said director Ben Affleck, “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 honour 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. I appreciate and...

Moviegoers have gotten their first glimpse of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s upcoming movie about Nike’s game-changing early days.

A trailer for Air dropped Thursday in advance of a Super Bowl spot for the Affleck-directed film, which is from Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures.

Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro, the maverick Nike salesman who signed rising basketball player Michael Jordan to a shoe contract in the mid-’80s that launched the global, multibillion-dollar contemporary sneaker industry.

Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, while Viola Davis stars as Deloris Jordan, who was instrumental in negotiating the deal on behalf of her son.

Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler and Julius Tennon as James Jordan.

Amazon and Affleck announced last month...

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are teaming up once again to tell the story of maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and the creation of the iconic Air Jordan shoe brand.

It’s the first time Affleck has directed Damon, a longtime collaborator and friend on features like “Good Will Hunting” and “The Last Duel,” the former of which earned the duo a Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Also Read:

Ben Affleck’s Nike Tale ‘Air’ Sets Global Theatrical Release From Amazon Studios

Starring as Vaccaro, Damon leads the film directed by Affleck (who also stars), featuring a script by Alex Convery. The new movie tells the true story of the partnership between Michael Jordan, a then-rookie with grand ambitions, and Nike’s fledging basketball division. Charting the creation of the Air Jordan brand, whose legacy still impacts popular culture today, “Air” will portray the greatest basketball player of all time in...

Michael Jordan's impact on fashion might be obvious now, with everyone from Mark Wahlberg to Rihanna rocking a pair of Jordans, but when Nike first made the deal with the all-star athlete to create the shoes, it was a major gamble for everyone involved. The story of how that happened is now coming to life in a new movie, directed by Ben Affleck, titled "Air." Affleck also stars as Nike cofounder Phil Knight, with his best friend Matt Damon playing marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro and newly minted Egot winner Viola Davis portraying Michael's mother, Deloris Jordan.

"Air" comes from Amazon Studios and is getting a worldwide release this spring. According to Amazon, "'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." They describe Knight, Vaccaro, and the rest...

Los Angeles, Jan 24 (Ians) Hollywood star Ben Affleck’s next directorial effort ‘Air’, about the birth of the Air Jordan brand and the partnership between Nike and a rookie Michael Jordan, has set an April 5 global theatrical release date, before it heads to streaming platform Prime Video.

The film is the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, in collaboration with Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures, reports ‘Variety’.

The starry cast includes Damon as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Gustaf Skarsgard as Horst Dassler and Julius Tennon as James Jordan

Alex Convery wrote ‘Air’, which is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Affleck, Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov,...

Hollywood star Ben Affleck’s next directorial effort ‘Air’, about the birth of the Air Jordan brand and the partnership between Nike and a rookie Michael Jordan, has set an April 5 global theatrical release date, before it heads to streaming platform Prime Video.

The film is the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, in collaboration with Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures, reports ‘Variety’.

The starry cast includes Damon as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Gustaf Skarsgard as Horst Dassler and Julius Tennon as James Jordan

Alex Convery wrote ‘Air’, which is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Affleck, Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber and Jason Michael Berman.

Ben Affleck’s Nike film “Air” will officially be a slamdunk in theaters.

Directed by Oscar winner Affleck, “Air” captures the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division that revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand, per an official synopsis. 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.

“Air” is the first project from Affleck and longtime collaborator Matt Damon’s Artists Equity production banner. The film will have a wide global theatrical release April 5, 2023, in advance of its premiere in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on Prime Video. The theatrical deal is the first kind of arrangement for Amazon Studios,...

Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort, “Air,” will get a global theatrical release from Amazon Studios on April 5, ahead of its global streaming premiere on Prime Video.

“Air,” from Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures, and the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, features what is being described as a “first of its kind arrangement” with Amazon Studios distributing the film globally with Warner Bros. Pictures handling international as part of its distribution pact with Amazon’s MGM.

The new movie tells the true story of the partnership between Michael Jordan, a then-rookie with grand ambitions, and Nike’s fledging basketball division. Charting the creation of the Air Jordan brand, whose legacy still impacts popular culture today, “Air” will portray the greatest basketball player of all time in his earliest days and the drive that made him such a force of nature (on and off the...

Some great news for exhibition Monday morning: Amazon Studios is getting back into the wide theatrical-release business with Ben Affleck’s Nike movie Air, starring his fellow Good Will Hunting co-Oscar winner Matt Damon.

Air will get a global theatrical release on Wednesday, April 5, heading into the lucrative Easter weekend. This is the first wide theatrical release from Amazon since its Sundance acquisition, Mindy Kaling’s Late Night, which had a wide summer release in 2019.

I hear Air will have a longer theatrical window than Amazon Studios’ recent limited theatrical releases, before hitting Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. It truly is a first-of-its-kind arrangement for the studio as Amazon will distribute the film globally, with Warner Bros. Pictures handling international as part of its distribution pact with Amazon’s MGM. Amazon Studios only had U.S. on Late Night, not global rights.

Air reveals the unbelievable game-changing...

Ben Affleck’s next directorial effort “Air,” about the birth of the Air Jordan brand and the partnership between Nike and a rookie Michael Jordan, has set an April 5 global theatrical release date, before it heads to Prime Video.

The film is the first project from Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, in collaboration with Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures.

The starry cast includes Damon as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler and Julius Tennon as James Jordan

Alex Convery wrote “Air,” which is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Affleck, Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber and Jason Michael Berman. Executive producers include Dana Goldberg,...

Exclusive: Joel Gretsch (All Rise) and Gustaf Skarsgård (Oppenheimer) are the latest additions to the cast of Ben Affleck’s Nike film for Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures. They join a star-studded ensemble led by Matt Damon and Affleck in the as-yet-untitled sports marketing pic, which will ultimately premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

The drama has Damon playing maverick sneaker salesman and former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, with Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, in a story about Nike’s long-shot effort to sign Michael Jordan to its shoe company in the mid-’80s. It was an endorsement that seemed impossible at the time, but would become the most significant relationship between an athletic brand and an athlete ever, and launched the global, multibillion-dollar contemporary sneaker industry. Pic’s ensemble will also include Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan,...

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s upcoming movie about the sports marketing executive who relentlessly pursued basketball legend Michael Jordan in the mid-’80s has added a troupe of all-star actors to its line-up.

Emmy-winner Jason Bateman, Academy Award-winner Viola Davis, Chris Tucker and Marlon Wayans have signed on to star opposite Affleck and Damon in Prime Video’s untitled film, along with Matthew Maher, Chris Messina, Tom Papa and Julius Tennon.

Damon plays maverick sneaker salesman and former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, and Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight in the film, from Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures. The movie tells the story of Nike’s long-shot effort to sign Jordan to the shoe company, an endorsement that seemed impossible at the time, but would become the most significant relationship between an athletic brand and an athlete. The strategic partnership helped launch the global, multibillion-dollar contemporary sneaker industry.

Ben Affleck has rounded out the cast for his upcoming film about Nike and its efforts to sign Michael Jordan to an endorsement deal, adding Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, Marlon Wayans and more to star alongside both himself and Matt Damon.

Also joining the cast are Matthew Maher, Tom Papa, Chris Messina and Julius Tennon. Affleck is directing the film from a script he collaborated on with Damon and was written by Alex Convery, eventually landing on the 2021 Black List of unproduced screenplays.

The untitled Nike film is set at Amazon Studios from Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures, and production has recently begun in Los Angeles.

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Damon, whom Affleck is directing for the first time despite their long history of collaborating, in the movie plays maverick sneaker salesman and former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro,...

Exclusive: Ben Affleck’s untitled Nike drama for Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports and Mandalay Pictures has assembled a stellar cast, with Jason Bateman (Ozark), Viola Davis (The Woman King), Chris Tucker (Rush Hour franchise), Marlon Wayans (Respect) and Chris Messina (Sharp Objects) signing on for roles, along with Matthew Maher (Our Flag Means Death), Tom Papa (Behind the Candelabra) and Julius Tennon (The Simone Biles Story: Courage to Soar).

Director Affleck alsi is starring in the pic, which started production Monday in Los Angeles, alongside his fellow Good Will Hunting star, Oscar winner Matt Damon.

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The untitled sports marketing film will tell the incredible story of how maverick sneaker salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) led a fledgling running shoe company called Nike in its pursuit of the most transformative athlete in the history of sports: Michael Jordan.

[[tmz:video id="0_nami61q1"]] Not everybody is out to kill Lavar Ball -- especially Kentucky coaching legend John Calipari who just praised the Big Baller for the relationship he has with his son. John was at the Btig charity event in NYC on Tuesday when we asked how he thinks Lonzo Ball will fare in the NBA ... and the projection is good. Really good.   That's when we asked if he ever had to "deal with" a father like Lavar...

[[tmz:video id="0_xyb9h6z3"]] Thought Lavar Ball was just gonna stay quiet after he was verbally attacked by a Nike exec???? Hell no!! Lonzo Ball's father is hitting back hard at George Raveling -- Nike's global basketball sports marketing director who said this week that Lavar was the worst thing to happen to basketball in 100 years. So, Lavar took to social media and basically said Raveling only made those comments because he's scared of the competition. "Let me tell you something.