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 court).
“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 in a statement. “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.”
“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,” Affleck said in an official statement. “I appreciate and value Jen Salke’s faith in our ability to execute on and deliver a movie we are proud of, as well as her and Sue Kroll’s incredible ongoing support of the film. Amazon Studios, Skydance, and Mandalay were all critical to getting this done, and the film couldn’t have been made without them. We value the steps it took on each of their parts to make it happen and want to thank them. This was the best creative and personal experience of our lives and we look forward to many more like it.”
This is the first movie Affleck has directed that stars his friend and collaborator Damon (who plays Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro). Affleck also co-stars as Nike CEO Phil Knight. The cast also features 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.
While an undeniably incredible story, “Air” fits nicely into a recent slate of nostalgic NBA-related content, including Netflix and ESPN’s towering Michael Jordan doc “The Last Dance,” HBO’s fictionalized “Winning Time,” and Apple TV+’s “They Call Me Magic.” There’s something about that classic period of NBA history that just hits differently. Hopefully “Air” brings the same fun.