Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reteam in 'Air' trailer, story of how Nike landed Michael Jordan
The "Good Will Hunting" buddies are back together again
How do you like them apples? Good Will Hunting buddies Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are back together again in Air, a docudrama depicting Nike's attempts to launch the now-iconic Air Jordan sneaker brand on the back of then-rookie, Michael Jordan. Stepping behind the camera for the first time since 2016's Live by Night — and directing Damon for the first time ever — the Argo helmer recruited an all-star cast that includes Marlon Wayans, Viola Davis and Jason Bateman. (Watch the trailer below.)
Set in 1984, Air casts Damon and Affleck as real-life Nike stalwarts Sonny Vaccaro and Phil Knight respectively. Facing a "tough year" in the sneaker business and looking to make the brand "cool" again, Vaccaro scouts the up-and-coming Jordan and makes his case directly to the young player's parents: Deloris Jordan (Davis) and the late James Jordan Sr. (Julius Tennon). Affleck's Knight is equally skeptical of Vaccaro's scheme to build an entire shoe line around a single rookie, but Vaccaro pushes ahead with his plan... and the rest is sneaker history.
Interestingly, Affleck seems to have opted against casting a big-name actor to play the young Michael Jordan — perhaps recognizing that there's no one who can compete with his Airness in terms of star power. Jordan is mostly absent from the trailer, seemingly glimpsed from the back in one scene where the Jordan family heads in to meet with Nike executives.
Damon and Affleck last collaborated on Ridley Scott's 2021 medieval drama, The Last Duel, which they co-wrote with Nicole Holofcener and also starred in. "We've been friends for 40 years," Damon told Yahoo Entertainment at the time, while addressing whether they've had their own creative duels over the years. "We've certainly been angry at each other. And, you know, writing, I mean you get very passionate. [But] these kinds of things diffuse really quickly."
If Affleck seemed like a sourpuss at the Grammys, he must be smiling after looking at the Twitter reaction to the Air trailer. Notably, his Phil Knight wig — a terrific accompaniment to his Last Duel blonde locks — is getting better reviews than Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon together? Already a Certified classic https://t.co/uYNlouhMnn
— Jaden Freeman (@JadenAbstrakt) February 9, 2023
i love that a big part of Ben Affleck's filmmaking is Weird Wigs
— hard mike (@buffetbreaker) February 9, 2023
Ben Affleck's hair in this movie https://t.co/DY79CjIspc pic.twitter.com/shAB8DiQBZ
— Metahumano (@Meta_human0) February 9, 2023
Ben Affleck has not let me down as a director, and it doesn't look like things are going to change. It's this meeting when #Nike changed the game. This has a fantastic cast with Damon, Bateman, Affleck, Davis & Wayans. Can't wait. #Airmovie #AirJordan pic.twitter.com/HocHswy8bz
— Creative Control Movie Podcast (@KenanTalksFilm) February 9, 2023
Matt and Ben together .. my favourite duo in Hollywood plus director Ben Affleck ? can't wait?? and Ben's hair is so ???? https://t.co/tZyr8XB0ea
— Nashwa (@Nshwam7md) February 9, 2023
Ben Affleck in a terrible wig is cinema https://t.co/RktrVBOm3u
— shri (@shriiiitt) February 9, 2023
Air premieres April 5 in theaters