Back in 1997, the touching masterpiece Good Will Hunting shined mostly due to the successful collaboration of the two best friends, who wrote the script and starred in the movie too. Apart from playing in Kevin Smith’s cinema universe in Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob movies, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck got back together for the 2021 mixedly received historical drama The Last Duel.
However, you may have missed Affleck’s recent directorial success, in which the duo starred and served as the producers. Based on the true story, it follows the launch of Air Jordan, a line of basketball shoes produced by Nike in collaboration with rookie player Michael Jordan.
Set in 1984, it revolves around Sonny Vaccaro (played by Affleck), Nike's basketball talent scout, who is tasked to come up with a new brand ambassador for Nike basketball shoes to raise the decreasing income of the company’s shoe division.
However, you may have missed Affleck’s recent directorial success, in which the duo starred and served as the producers. Based on the true story, it follows the launch of Air Jordan, a line of basketball shoes produced by Nike in collaboration with rookie player Michael Jordan.
Set in 1984, it revolves around Sonny Vaccaro (played by Affleck), Nike's basketball talent scout, who is tasked to come up with a new brand ambassador for Nike basketball shoes to raise the decreasing income of the company’s shoe division.
- 4/20/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Long-term friends Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are set to reunite yet again for Netflix thriller ‘Animals.’
Affleck will remain behind the camera at the helm on the project whose plot details are being kept locked up but the story will focus on a kidnapping. Damon will star.
Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray have penned the script. Affleck and Damon are producing the project with Dani Bernfeld through their company Artists Equity.
Also in news – Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza set for dark comedy ‘Honey Don’t!’
Brad Weston and Collin Creighton are producing ‘Animals’ with Fifth Season. Michael Joe and Kevin Halloran from Artists Equity are executive producing.
The pair have most recently paired up for Amazon Studios’ ‘Air,’ in which Damon starred as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro opposite Affleck in a supporting role as Nike founder Phil Knight. Affleck also directed the picture. The movie was the first time Affleck directed Damon.
Affleck will remain behind the camera at the helm on the project whose plot details are being kept locked up but the story will focus on a kidnapping. Damon will star.
Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray have penned the script. Affleck and Damon are producing the project with Dani Bernfeld through their company Artists Equity.
Also in news – Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza set for dark comedy ‘Honey Don’t!’
Brad Weston and Collin Creighton are producing ‘Animals’ with Fifth Season. Michael Joe and Kevin Halloran from Artists Equity are executive producing.
The pair have most recently paired up for Amazon Studios’ ‘Air,’ in which Damon starred as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro opposite Affleck in a supporting role as Nike founder Phil Knight. Affleck also directed the picture. The movie was the first time Affleck directed Damon.
- 1/26/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are reuniting for kidnapping thriller Animals for Netflix, and here are the details.
Despite both being equally successful as actors, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have built up quite the portfolio of work behind the camera. T
hey won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1998 for their work on the wonderful Good Will Hunting, which was directed by Gus Van Sant. Robin Williams also won Best Supporting Actor that time.
It led to Kevin Smith’s brilliant parody in his 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where we glimpse a violent clip from Smith’s made up sequel Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season.
The pair went on to co-write 2021’s The Last Duel with Nicole Holofcener, and most recently scripted acclaimed drama, Air, the story of how Sonny Vaccaro changed the fortune of shoemaker Nike by signing a young Michael Jordan.
Now,...
Despite both being equally successful as actors, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have built up quite the portfolio of work behind the camera. T
hey won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1998 for their work on the wonderful Good Will Hunting, which was directed by Gus Van Sant. Robin Williams also won Best Supporting Actor that time.
It led to Kevin Smith’s brilliant parody in his 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where we glimpse a violent clip from Smith’s made up sequel Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season.
The pair went on to co-write 2021’s The Last Duel with Nicole Holofcener, and most recently scripted acclaimed drama, Air, the story of how Sonny Vaccaro changed the fortune of shoemaker Nike by signing a young Michael Jordan.
Now,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
The boys are back: Ben Affleck is directing Animals, starring Matt Damon. Written by Colin McIntyre and Billy Ray, the brand-new thrilleris coming soon to Netflix.
This marks only the second time Damon has appeared in a film directed by Affleck: In 2023’s Air, Damon played Nike talent scout Sonny Vaccaro, who lands Michael Jordan for a groundbreaking sponsorship deal.
Still, the longtime friends have a history of collaboration. In 1997, Damon and Affleck co-starred in and co-wrote Good Will Hunting; their screenplay went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Since then, the duo have made several brief appearances together (usually in pal Kevin Smith’s films) but largely flourished in parallel blockbuster careers. That is, until a recent on-screen reunion in 2021’s The Last Duel.
In an interview with Chris Wallace, Damon explained why you can expect to see a lot more of the two actors...
This marks only the second time Damon has appeared in a film directed by Affleck: In 2023’s Air, Damon played Nike talent scout Sonny Vaccaro, who lands Michael Jordan for a groundbreaking sponsorship deal.
Still, the longtime friends have a history of collaboration. In 1997, Damon and Affleck co-starred in and co-wrote Good Will Hunting; their screenplay went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Since then, the duo have made several brief appearances together (usually in pal Kevin Smith’s films) but largely flourished in parallel blockbuster careers. That is, until a recent on-screen reunion in 2021’s The Last Duel.
In an interview with Chris Wallace, Damon explained why you can expect to see a lot more of the two actors...
- 1/25/2024
- by John DiLillo
- Tudum - Netflix
The Dream Team is back! Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are teaming up again for Animals, a kidnapping thriller for Netflix. Affleck will direct Animals from a script written by Connor McIntyre with revisions by Billy Ray. In addition to his directorial duties, Affleck will produce alongside Damon, Dani Bernfeld of Artists Equity, Brad Weston, and Collin Creighton of MakeReady, who set the project up with Fifth Season.
Plot details remain a mystery, though we know it focuses on a kidnapping. Michael Joe of Artists Equity and Kevin Halloran executive produce with Fifth Season.
Last year, Affleck and Damon delighted audiences with Air, a sports drama following the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan. The emotionally charged film performed like gangbusters for Amazon and banked $90 million at the global box office.
Plot details remain a mystery, though we know it focuses on a kidnapping. Michael Joe of Artists Equity and Kevin Halloran executive produce with Fifth Season.
Last year, Affleck and Damon delighted audiences with Air, a sports drama following the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan. The emotionally charged film performed like gangbusters for Amazon and banked $90 million at the global box office.
- 1/25/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are teaming up once again for “Animals,” a new crime thriller that Netflix has just acquired. Affleck will direct, with Damon starring, from a script by Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray.
Affleck will remain behind the camera for “Animals” — unlike his previous collaboration with Damon, Amazon Studios’ “Air,” in which Damon starred as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro opposite Affleck in a supporting role as Nike founder Phil Knight. Like “Air,” Affleck and Damon are producing the project with Dani Bernfeld through their company Artists Equity, which they founded in 2022 with the intention of sharing profits with not just fellow actors, but below-the-line crew as well.
Plot details are scarce for “Animals,” but the story will focus on a kidnapping.
Affleck and Damon famously became friends in high school and collaborated as screenwriters for the 1997 indie sensation “Good Will Hunting,” which won them an Oscar for best original screenplay.
Affleck will remain behind the camera for “Animals” — unlike his previous collaboration with Damon, Amazon Studios’ “Air,” in which Damon starred as Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro opposite Affleck in a supporting role as Nike founder Phil Knight. Like “Air,” Affleck and Damon are producing the project with Dani Bernfeld through their company Artists Equity, which they founded in 2022 with the intention of sharing profits with not just fellow actors, but below-the-line crew as well.
Plot details are scarce for “Animals,” but the story will focus on a kidnapping.
Affleck and Damon famously became friends in high school and collaborated as screenwriters for the 1997 indie sensation “Good Will Hunting,” which won them an Oscar for best original screenplay.
- 1/25/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are reteaming once again, this time for a new crime thriller that just landed at Netflix.
Affleck will direct Animals, which will star Damon. It could be shooting in Los Angeles by March, if all the pieces come together.
The secretive project was operating under several titles — The Animals of Los Angeles and Be Gentlemen — before landing on simply Animals.
Written by Connor McIntyre with revisions by Billy Ray, the crime thriller concerns a mayoral candidate and his wife whose son is kidnapped. Surrounded by plenty of enemies, political and otherwise, the husband and wife have no choice but to get their hands dirty in order to save their son.
Affleck and Damon will produce via their Artists Equity, along with the company’s Dani Bernfeld. Also producing are Brad Weston and Collin Creighton via their MakeReady banner. Fifth Season, the production, sales and distribution...
Affleck will direct Animals, which will star Damon. It could be shooting in Los Angeles by March, if all the pieces come together.
The secretive project was operating under several titles — The Animals of Los Angeles and Be Gentlemen — before landing on simply Animals.
Written by Connor McIntyre with revisions by Billy Ray, the crime thriller concerns a mayoral candidate and his wife whose son is kidnapped. Surrounded by plenty of enemies, political and otherwise, the husband and wife have no choice but to get their hands dirty in order to save their son.
Affleck and Damon will produce via their Artists Equity, along with the company’s Dani Bernfeld. Also producing are Brad Weston and Collin Creighton via their MakeReady banner. Fifth Season, the production, sales and distribution...
- 1/25/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Whenever awards season comes around, we start to see a lot of the same movies appear on Top 10 lists from critics or in the roster of nominees from the many Hollywood organizations that vote on year-end cinematic greatness. Whether they're critics circles from around the country, the various guilds for writers, directors, producers, actors, and other filmmaking departments, or the big show from the Academy Awards, there are always a handful of titles that garner attention across the board.
Some would have you believe this happens because critics and members of Hollywood at large are afraid to go against the grain and adopt a groupthink mentality, which is a big reason why so many general audiences see Rotten Tomatoes as more of an entity representative of all critics as opposed to a review aggregator trying to generalize many voices. But perhaps it's because groups of seasoned filmgoers come to recognize...
Some would have you believe this happens because critics and members of Hollywood at large are afraid to go against the grain and adopt a groupthink mentality, which is a big reason why so many general audiences see Rotten Tomatoes as more of an entity representative of all critics as opposed to a review aggregator trying to generalize many voices. But perhaps it's because groups of seasoned filmgoers come to recognize...
- 1/10/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
The opening minutes of “Air” brilliantly establishes the world in which the movie takes place, the mid-1980s America of Ronald Reagan, “Beverly Hills Cop,” Sony Trintitrons, and Run-d.M.C. For director Ben Affleck and editor William Goldenberg, who have worked together on all but one of Affleck’s features, the goal was not only to evoke an era but also to remind audiences that there was a time when Nike was not a dominant player in the athletic shoe business — the time before Michael Jordan became a basketball phenomenon and lent his name to the company’s most famous sneaker. The solution: a seamless integration of archival footage depicting 1984 touchstones with footage shot by Affleck and his collaborators on a variety of period-appropriate formats.
“The idea was to come out of archival footage into our story,” Affleck told IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast, noting that he did something similar in his first feature,...
“The idea was to come out of archival footage into our story,” Affleck told IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast, noting that he did something similar in his first feature,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
It doesn’t take much prompting to get actor Chris Messina to list all the ways he and his “Air” character, the iconic sports agent David Falk, diverge. “I’m nothing like David Falk. He’s taller than me. He has no hair. He’s brilliant,” Messina said during a recent interview with IndieWire. “Our one similarity: we’re both from Long Island.”
But Messina’s obvious admiration for the guy — one of the primary movers of the landmark deal his client Michael Jordan struck with Nike as a rookie, a fascinating true-life story that serves as the basis of Ben Affleck’s latest film — shines through, too. As the fierce sports agent, supporting standout Messina spends most of “Air” hamming it up on the phone, negotiating deals, yelling a lot, and having a tremendous amount of fun.
“Falk can be ferocious, and there were some people that when Falk called,...
But Messina’s obvious admiration for the guy — one of the primary movers of the landmark deal his client Michael Jordan struck with Nike as a rookie, a fascinating true-life story that serves as the basis of Ben Affleck’s latest film — shines through, too. As the fierce sports agent, supporting standout Messina spends most of “Air” hamming it up on the phone, negotiating deals, yelling a lot, and having a tremendous amount of fun.
“Falk can be ferocious, and there were some people that when Falk called,...
- 1/4/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
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...
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...
- 12/27/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For much of their conversation, Ben Affleck and Michael B. Jordan seem mutually star-struck, even though they’ve known each other for 10 years. They first connected after “Argo,” Affleck’s third directorial effort, won best picture and Jordan’s career skyrocketed following his searing leading performance in Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station.”
Today, Affleck inundates Jordan with praise for his directorial debut, “Creed III,” the latest entry in the “Rocky” franchise, starring Jordan as the indomitable heavyweight champ Adonis Creed. Jordan, meanwhile, is eager to learn how Affleck directed his lifelong friend Matt Damon for the first time in “Air,” a film about how Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) convinces founder and CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to build a shoe line around NBA rookie Michael Jordan — or, as Affleck puts it, “the other Michael Jordan.”
Michael B. Jordan: “Fruitvale Station” had premiered at Sundance, and I remember you and Matt [Damon] were basically like,...
Today, Affleck inundates Jordan with praise for his directorial debut, “Creed III,” the latest entry in the “Rocky” franchise, starring Jordan as the indomitable heavyweight champ Adonis Creed. Jordan, meanwhile, is eager to learn how Affleck directed his lifelong friend Matt Damon for the first time in “Air,” a film about how Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) convinces founder and CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to build a shoe line around NBA rookie Michael Jordan — or, as Affleck puts it, “the other Michael Jordan.”
Michael B. Jordan: “Fruitvale Station” had premiered at Sundance, and I remember you and Matt [Damon] were basically like,...
- 12/13/2023
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
Oppenheimer.Much of the praise for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has highlighted the strength of its ensemble cast. Cillian Murphy has garnered considerable acclaim for his cold and haunted performance as the eponymous father of the atomic bomb, and so has Robert Downey Jr. as his vindictive foil, Admiral Lewis Strauss. Less has been said about Matt Damon’s supporting portrayal of one of the most pivotal figures in the J. Robert Oppenheimer story: Major General Leslie Groves, the American military man who oversaw the Manhattan Project, and hired Oppenheimer. Gruff, difficult to please, exacting in his military objectives, and occasionally comic, Damon plays him with the understated, reliably solid craft that’s defined his career. And in what has proven to be characteristic of Damon’s screen presence, he plays Groves as less conservative than he first appears: he’s a character who’s willing to gently undercut received...
- 12/5/2023
- MUBI
Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the year’s most talked-about scripts continues with first-timer Alex Convery’s screenplay for the Ben Affleck-directed Air.
Did you know that Michael Jordan makes $400 million a year in passive income due to the percentage he gets from the sale of Air Jordans? To understand how this came to be, we must travel back to the 1980s and the campus of famed sneaker label Nike, where Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon), a daring sneaker salesman, is on an ambitious quest to sign Jordan, arguably the most game-changing sports figure ever.
Affleck plays the role of Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who focuses on Nike’s improbable bid to land Jordan. While it seemed an unlikely feat at the time, it ultimately forged the most impactful partnership between a sports brand and an athlete, turning the global sneaker industry into a multibillion-dollar enterprise.
Did you know that Michael Jordan makes $400 million a year in passive income due to the percentage he gets from the sale of Air Jordans? To understand how this came to be, we must travel back to the 1980s and the campus of famed sneaker label Nike, where Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon), a daring sneaker salesman, is on an ambitious quest to sign Jordan, arguably the most game-changing sports figure ever.
Affleck plays the role of Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who focuses on Nike’s improbable bid to land Jordan. While it seemed an unlikely feat at the time, it ultimately forged the most impactful partnership between a sports brand and an athlete, turning the global sneaker industry into a multibillion-dollar enterprise.
- 11/29/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck won Best Original Screenplay together in 1998 for “Good Will Hunting,” which also earned Damon a Best Actor bid. Since then, they’ve had a separate Oscars history. Damon was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2010 for “Invictus,” then reaped another Best Actor bid in 2016 for “The Martian.” And, in 2017, he scored a Best Picture nomination for “Manchester by the Sea.” Affleck, meanwhile, has scored only one other Oscar nomination since his “Good Will Hunting” writing win. That was for Best Picture for “Argo” in 2013. He did win that award, though. Neither has taken home an Oscar for acting but that could this year.
The duo reunited on-screen in “Air,” which tells the story of how Nike marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) signed Michael Jordan and made the iconic shoe the Air Jordan. Affleck, who also directed this Amazon Prime Video release, plays Damon’s on-screen boss,...
The duo reunited on-screen in “Air,” which tells the story of how Nike marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) signed Michael Jordan and made the iconic shoe the Air Jordan. Affleck, who also directed this Amazon Prime Video release, plays Damon’s on-screen boss,...
- 11/28/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Air screenwriter Alex Convery and editor William Goldenberg represented the film at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles. The film tells the story of how Nike signed then-rookie Michael Jordan to the sneaker line that became Air Jordan. Even though Air Jordan is one of the most famous brands in the world, Convery said it remained suspenseful because Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) became such a strong character.
“If you can get the audience to care about the character, they’re going to forget that they know the ending,” Convery said. “Argo was similar. Titanic, you know how that’s going to end but you care about Jack and Rose.”
Goldenberg said the script laid a lot of the groundwork for making the Jordan-adjacent story suspenseful. To make it so, he and director Ben Affleck simply tightened up the events of the plot.
“In pacing it, the more I worked on it,...
“If you can get the audience to care about the character, they’re going to forget that they know the ending,” Convery said. “Argo was similar. Titanic, you know how that’s going to end but you care about Jack and Rose.”
Goldenberg said the script laid a lot of the groundwork for making the Jordan-adjacent story suspenseful. To make it so, he and director Ben Affleck simply tightened up the events of the plot.
“In pacing it, the more I worked on it,...
- 11/19/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Intellectual property — the books, films, characters and properties that get butts into seats — has long been a cornerstone of Hollywood moviemaking. But many of this year’s films have drawn from less likely, though perhaps inevitable, sources of inspiration: products and brands. Movies ranging from “Barbie” and “Air” to “BlackBerry” and Michael Mann’s upcoming “Ferrari” all to one extent or another leverage the namesake of the object, or the business associated with it in the name of attracting audiences to theaters.
This parade of product-driven titles seems to mark an inflection point in a crowded entertainment landscape where consumer recognizability has become one of the most important (or seemingly only) factor when deciding which movies to make.
At their best, these movies hit it out of the park with critics and moviegoers, as in the case with “Barbie,” the biggest movie of the year, or gain critical heat, as with “Air,...
This parade of product-driven titles seems to mark an inflection point in a crowded entertainment landscape where consumer recognizability has become one of the most important (or seemingly only) factor when deciding which movies to make.
At their best, these movies hit it out of the park with critics and moviegoers, as in the case with “Barbie,” the biggest movie of the year, or gain critical heat, as with “Air,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Air
Amazon
Ben Affleck directs this corporate tale that goes behind the scenes of Nike’s partnership with Michael Jordan, in which the shoe company placed a massive bet on the then-rookie basketball player to create the now-ubiquitous Air Jordan shoe line. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike exec who attempts to woo the up-and-coming athlete into signing a major deal, while Viola Davis delivers a meaty supporting performance as Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan.
All of Us Strangers
Searchlight
Andrew Haigh’s metaphysical drama, adapted from Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel Strangers, stars Andrew Scott as a London screenwriter who begins a relationship with a mysterious neighbor played by Paul Mescal. Struggling to write a film inspired by his deceased parents, he is drawn back to his childhood home — only to discover his mother and father (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) living as if they had not died in a car accident 30 years earlier.
Amazon
Ben Affleck directs this corporate tale that goes behind the scenes of Nike’s partnership with Michael Jordan, in which the shoe company placed a massive bet on the then-rookie basketball player to create the now-ubiquitous Air Jordan shoe line. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike exec who attempts to woo the up-and-coming athlete into signing a major deal, while Viola Davis delivers a meaty supporting performance as Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan.
All of Us Strangers
Searchlight
Andrew Haigh’s metaphysical drama, adapted from Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel Strangers, stars Andrew Scott as a London screenwriter who begins a relationship with a mysterious neighbor played by Paul Mescal. Struggling to write a film inspired by his deceased parents, he is drawn back to his childhood home — only to discover his mother and father (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) living as if they had not died in a car accident 30 years earlier.
- 11/13/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
2023 has proven to be a pivotal year for moviemaking. The industry itself seems to be in a state of upheaval, and perhaps renewal, as two labor strikes that dominated the calendar between May and November culminated with the writers and actors guilds earning hard-won benefits for their work, as well as securities against the advent of A.I.
Onscreen, too, audience tastes seem to be changing as the biggest films of the year are pictures with strong authorial voices from Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan. The former used a beloved doll IP to make a comedy about growing and growing old in the shadow of the patriarchy; the latter did a character study on the man who invented the most genocidal weapon imaginable. Neither were a sequel or a conventional bet, and both far outperformed the movies that were. The industry is changing, but beyond the news and potential paradigm...
Onscreen, too, audience tastes seem to be changing as the biggest films of the year are pictures with strong authorial voices from Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan. The former used a beloved doll IP to make a comedy about growing and growing old in the shadow of the patriarchy; the latter did a character study on the man who invented the most genocidal weapon imaginable. Neither were a sequel or a conventional bet, and both far outperformed the movies that were. The industry is changing, but beyond the news and potential paradigm...
- 11/13/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
You know a script is good when you give up your vacation to join the movie. Sound mixer Willie D. Burton was working on “Oppenheimer” with Matt Damon when the actor asked what he was doing next. Burton said he was taking a vacation. Damon countered with an offer he eventually couldn’t refuse: Alex Convery‘s script for “Air.”
“I read the script and it’s pretty incredible. So I said to Matt, ‘I’m not taking a vacation. I’m gonna do your film.’ And he says, ‘It’s gonna be like camp, like summer camp. Just treat it like summer camp. We’ll have a good time and everything will be good and we’ll have some fun,'” Burton tells Gold Derby at our Making of “Air” panel with the Oscar-contending editor William Goldenberg, costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones and production designer François Audouy. “And sure enough,...
“I read the script and it’s pretty incredible. So I said to Matt, ‘I’m not taking a vacation. I’m gonna do your film.’ And he says, ‘It’s gonna be like camp, like summer camp. Just treat it like summer camp. We’ll have a good time and everything will be good and we’ll have some fun,'” Burton tells Gold Derby at our Making of “Air” panel with the Oscar-contending editor William Goldenberg, costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones and production designer François Audouy. “And sure enough,...
- 10/24/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
The Gotham Awards have announced that actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck‘s “Air” will be honored with the Visionary Icon and Creator Tribute when awards are handed out on Monday night, November 27, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
“Air” follows Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon), the basketball talent scout for Nike who in 1984 fought to bring fledgling talent Michael Jordan onboard as a new spokesperson for the company’s basketball shoes. In addition to directing the film, Affleck has a co-starring role as Nike co-founder and CEO Phil Knight. This is the fifth feature film Affleck has helmed, following “Gone Baby Gone” (2007), “The Town” (2010), “Argo” (2012) and “Live by Night” (2016). All of those were nominated for Oscars save “Live by Night,” with “Argo” winning Affleck the award for Best Picture.
See‘Air’ will aim for comedy/musical nominations at the Golden Globes
The Gotham Film and Media Institute...
“Air” follows Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon), the basketball talent scout for Nike who in 1984 fought to bring fledgling talent Michael Jordan onboard as a new spokesperson for the company’s basketball shoes. In addition to directing the film, Affleck has a co-starring role as Nike co-founder and CEO Phil Knight. This is the fifth feature film Affleck has helmed, following “Gone Baby Gone” (2007), “The Town” (2010), “Argo” (2012) and “Live by Night” (2016). All of those were nominated for Oscars save “Live by Night,” with “Argo” winning Affleck the award for Best Picture.
See‘Air’ will aim for comedy/musical nominations at the Golden Globes
The Gotham Film and Media Institute...
- 10/16/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
“Air,” the story of Michael Jordan’s game-changing collaboration with Nike directed by Ben Affleck, will receive the Gotham Visionary Icon & Creator Tribute at the 33rd annual Gotham Awards Ceremony, the Gotham Film & Media Institute announced on Monday. The in-person event will take place on November 27, 2023 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Nominees for the Gotham Awards will be announced on Tuesday, October 24th.
According to the Gotham Film & Media Institute, the Icon & Creator Tribute was developed for the 2023 Gotham Awards to “recognize cultural icons and the filmmakers responsible for bringing that icon’s story to life.” In this case, the recognition goes to both Jordan and Affleck. The Gotham Film & Media Institute had previously announced that George C. Wolfe’s upcoming Rustin would be the recipient of the Icon & Creator Tribute for Social Justice at this year’s ceremony.
In a statement, Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director...
According to the Gotham Film & Media Institute, the Icon & Creator Tribute was developed for the 2023 Gotham Awards to “recognize cultural icons and the filmmakers responsible for bringing that icon’s story to life.” In this case, the recognition goes to both Jordan and Affleck. The Gotham Film & Media Institute had previously announced that George C. Wolfe’s upcoming Rustin would be the recipient of the Icon & Creator Tribute for Social Justice at this year’s ceremony.
In a statement, Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director...
- 10/16/2023
- by Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
It’s easy to take the underrated Matt Damon for granted. For one thing, he looks like he could be the assistant manager of your local Ralphs. He’s neither particularly handsome nor bad looking. He also has a habit, in life and on screen, of rarely calling attention to himself. So it’s easy to miss him. You know he’s there, you know he’s good, but you’re still not necessarily going to single him out for a rave. Why? Because he’s perhaps even more of an everyman than the guy we’ve come to attach to the term, Tom Hanks. Yes, all Damon does is put his head down and turn in sterling work. Every. Single. Time.
Typically, few people are talking about Damon being a serious Oscar contender in 2024. But he’s got a decent shot all the same – two of them, in fact.
Typically, few people are talking about Damon being a serious Oscar contender in 2024. But he’s got a decent shot all the same – two of them, in fact.
- 10/3/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
“Air” will shoot for Golden Globes — but not as a drama. The Ben Affleck-helmed film will submit in the comedy/musical categories, Gold Derby has learned exclusively.
Matt Damon will seek his second Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical Actor (never forget his first win for 2015’s “The Martian”). The rest of the cast will run in supporting, including Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Julius Tennon, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis. The categorization does not affect them as the Globes have genre-neutral supporting categories.
The sports drama chronicles talent scout Sonny Vaccaro‘s (Damon) quest to sign Michael Jordan to the then-fledgling Nike in 1984, which led to the Air Jordan line that revolutionized athlete endorsement deals. It’s also a slick crowd-pleaser peppered with funny moments, mostly from Messina, who plays Jordan’s agent, David Falk, and has several hilariously vulgar phone call scenes.
See ‘Air’: What are...
Matt Damon will seek his second Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical Actor (never forget his first win for 2015’s “The Martian”). The rest of the cast will run in supporting, including Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Julius Tennon, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis. The categorization does not affect them as the Globes have genre-neutral supporting categories.
The sports drama chronicles talent scout Sonny Vaccaro‘s (Damon) quest to sign Michael Jordan to the then-fledgling Nike in 1984, which led to the Air Jordan line that revolutionized athlete endorsement deals. It’s also a slick crowd-pleaser peppered with funny moments, mostly from Messina, who plays Jordan’s agent, David Falk, and has several hilariously vulgar phone call scenes.
See ‘Air’: What are...
- 9/12/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Oscar Race Kicks Off as First Screeners Drop: ‘Air,’ ‘Creed III,’ ‘John Wick 4’ and More (Exclusive)
The Academy Screening Room is now open to all eligible AMPAS members, with the first wave of films uploaded for Oscar consideration for the upcoming awards season.
Nine notable titles are among the films, including Ben Affleck’s “Air” from Amazon Studios, Michael B. Jordan’s “Creed III” from MGM, Kelly Fremon Craig’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” and Chad Stahelski’s “John Wick: Chapter 4,” both from Lionsgate.
The Academy performs a heavy vetting process for each film that chooses to submit for consideration. In 2022, nine movies were among the first added to the members’ portal while in 2020, eight films kicked off that season. Historically, over 300 movies are in the running for best picture consideration. Obviously, more films will be added, and in greater batches, over the next several months. Distributors are the ultimate decision makers on when a movie is placed on the Academy Screening Room for viewing.
Nine notable titles are among the films, including Ben Affleck’s “Air” from Amazon Studios, Michael B. Jordan’s “Creed III” from MGM, Kelly Fremon Craig’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” and Chad Stahelski’s “John Wick: Chapter 4,” both from Lionsgate.
The Academy performs a heavy vetting process for each film that chooses to submit for consideration. In 2022, nine movies were among the first added to the members’ portal while in 2020, eight films kicked off that season. Historically, over 300 movies are in the running for best picture consideration. Obviously, more films will be added, and in greater batches, over the next several months. Distributors are the ultimate decision makers on when a movie is placed on the Academy Screening Room for viewing.
- 8/18/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Viola Davis shines in Ben Affleck‘s “Air,” which tells the true story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan and made the Air Jordan shoe. Matt Damon portrays Nike marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro who negotiates a deal with Jordan’s mother. As Deloris Jordan, Davis deliver a powerful performance.
The actress imbues quiet strength, a sense of duty and honor, and a fierce motherly love into the stony exterior of an ambitious woman who knows her son’s worth and loves her family. It’s an enjoyable performance and it helps elevate the film from the average depths it likely would have sunken to without her. And critics agree.
Peter Travers (ABC News) explained: “Jordan himself insisted that only one actress could play his mom — Egot winner Viola Davis. Smart choice since the triumphant Davis is a primal force who powers the role of Deloris by nailing every nuance with maternal fire and feeling.
The actress imbues quiet strength, a sense of duty and honor, and a fierce motherly love into the stony exterior of an ambitious woman who knows her son’s worth and loves her family. It’s an enjoyable performance and it helps elevate the film from the average depths it likely would have sunken to without her. And critics agree.
Peter Travers (ABC News) explained: “Jordan himself insisted that only one actress could play his mom — Egot winner Viola Davis. Smart choice since the triumphant Davis is a primal force who powers the role of Deloris by nailing every nuance with maternal fire and feeling.
- 8/11/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Matt Damon is still bitter about Donald Trump’s “Air”-inspired promotional video.
During a recent interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace, the actor sarcastically shaded the former president when asked about Trump’s repurposed monologue that was used as a promotional video for a fundraiser last month.
Read More: Matt Damon Is Not Moving To Australia Because Of Donald Trump, His Rep Confirms
“I don’t know what to make of it,” Damon said, while simply laughing as he thought about it.
“I’m glad they like our writing,” he sarcastically added.
Elsewhere in the interview, the “Oppenheimer” star poked fun at his “Air” character, agent Sonny Vaccaro, joking that he was also “trying to write speeches for the Trump campaign.”
Read More: Matt Damon Was Planning To Take A Break From Acting — Then This Happened
Trump’s fundraising video, which shows footage of him throughout his life, is...
During a recent interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace, the actor sarcastically shaded the former president when asked about Trump’s repurposed monologue that was used as a promotional video for a fundraiser last month.
Read More: Matt Damon Is Not Moving To Australia Because Of Donald Trump, His Rep Confirms
“I don’t know what to make of it,” Damon said, while simply laughing as he thought about it.
“I’m glad they like our writing,” he sarcastically added.
Elsewhere in the interview, the “Oppenheimer” star poked fun at his “Air” character, agent Sonny Vaccaro, joking that he was also “trying to write speeches for the Trump campaign.”
Read More: Matt Damon Was Planning To Take A Break From Acting — Then This Happened
Trump’s fundraising video, which shows footage of him throughout his life, is...
- 7/24/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Matt Damon is laughing off the Donald Trump campaign ad that lifted from his film “Air” without permission.
During a Friday appearance on “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” which was taped before the SAG-AFTRA strike, Wallace asked Damon about the Trump campaign ad that was released in June.
Damon, who is now back in theaters with “Oppenheimer,” responded with a chuckle and said, “I think they took it down… We said ‘You don’t have our permission to use that.'”
However, as Wallace pointed out, as of this publishing, the campaign ad is still live and untouched on Truth Social, where it was originally posted.
To that, Damon shrugged and said, “I don’t know what to make of it,” adding with a laugh, “I’m glad they like our writing.”
The campaign ad in question overlays images and videos of the former president with audio of...
During a Friday appearance on “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” which was taped before the SAG-AFTRA strike, Wallace asked Damon about the Trump campaign ad that was released in June.
Damon, who is now back in theaters with “Oppenheimer,” responded with a chuckle and said, “I think they took it down… We said ‘You don’t have our permission to use that.'”
However, as Wallace pointed out, as of this publishing, the campaign ad is still live and untouched on Truth Social, where it was originally posted.
To that, Damon shrugged and said, “I don’t know what to make of it,” adding with a laugh, “I’m glad they like our writing.”
The campaign ad in question overlays images and videos of the former president with audio of...
- 7/23/2023
- by Haleigh Foutch
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Sean Menard (299 Queen Street West) has been set to direct the docuseries The Sneaker Boom, on basketball shoe marketing of the ’90s, for Rtg Features, the sister studio to basketball-focused media company Slam. Rtg Features CEO Aron Phillips is among the producers of the project, which Sean Menard Productions is co-producing.
Currently in post-production, the series is set amidst the NBA’s rise in global popularity during the early ’90s, watching as a group of marketing mavericks and advertising execs bet millions on unproven rookies as they enlist their talents for wildly creative television commercials. As the players grow into superstars, basketball sneakers go from being a niche sportswear product to everyday fashion, en route to becoming a multi-billion-dollar industry.
The story of The Sneaker Boom is told through the lens of ’90s NBA legends including Dee Brown, Larry Johnson, Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill — who were respectively sponsored by Reebok,...
Currently in post-production, the series is set amidst the NBA’s rise in global popularity during the early ’90s, watching as a group of marketing mavericks and advertising execs bet millions on unproven rookies as they enlist their talents for wildly creative television commercials. As the players grow into superstars, basketball sneakers go from being a niche sportswear product to everyday fashion, en route to becoming a multi-billion-dollar industry.
The story of The Sneaker Boom is told through the lens of ’90s NBA legends including Dee Brown, Larry Johnson, Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill — who were respectively sponsored by Reebok,...
- 7/18/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the most exciting parts of a new Oscars season is seeing which over-due artists may finally land their first wins or bids. Last year, Todd Field (“Tár”) and Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), two revered filmmakers who have had plenty of acclaimed pictures in the past, finally received the first Best Director nominations of their careers. This year, there are several more filmmakers who are on the lookout for their first bids. So, here’s a rundown of five renowned helmers who could be first-time Best Director nominees this year.
Ben Affleck — “Air” (Amazon Studios/Universal)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis
Release Date: April 5, 2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
“Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.”
Affleck won Best Picture in his directorial debut...
Ben Affleck — “Air” (Amazon Studios/Universal)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis
Release Date: April 5, 2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
“Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.”
Affleck won Best Picture in his directorial debut...
- 7/13/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Ben Affleck just released his first feature film as a director in nearly eight years. Air is a fact-based drama about shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro and his pursuits of grabbing one of the greatest athletes in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan. For anyone who’s seen the indie darling, you’ll notice that Affleck purposely opts never to show Michael Jordan in Air. Considering the fact that this film heavily features the man itself, it was a very bold move to never focus on Michael Jordan in Air. Yet, it is an excellent movie in spite of never focusing on the young...
- 7/8/2023
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
Donald Trump‘s use of an audio clip Prime Video series Air for a campaign video was definitely not approved, said Matt Damon and Ben Affleck‘s production company, Artists Equity.
Both stars worked on the sports drama that follows Nike’s inventive effort to recruit basketball star Michael Jordan for a shoe line.
In the Trump video, the motivational dialogue is played over slow-mo clips of Trump marching towards choppers, videos from his 2017 inauguration and news reports about his impeachment. The video closes with clips of Trump followers sporting Make America Great Again (Maga) headpieces and shouting “USA” at an assembly center.
“We has no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use”, a spokesperson told EW. “Specifically in terms of any and all...
Both stars worked on the sports drama that follows Nike’s inventive effort to recruit basketball star Michael Jordan for a shoe line.
In the Trump video, the motivational dialogue is played over slow-mo clips of Trump marching towards choppers, videos from his 2017 inauguration and news reports about his impeachment. The video closes with clips of Trump followers sporting Make America Great Again (Maga) headpieces and shouting “USA” at an assembly center.
“We has no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use”, a spokesperson told EW. “Specifically in terms of any and all...
- 7/5/2023
- by Bita Shokrian
- Uinterview
Clockwise from top left: You Hurt My Feelings (A24), Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Sony), M3GAN (Universal), Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney), Chevalier (Searchlight Pictures)Graphic: AVClub
For those who think we’re three years away from re-naming our Midyear Movie Scorecard something like Midyear Ranking of Bloated...
For those who think we’re three years away from re-naming our Midyear Movie Scorecard something like Midyear Ranking of Bloated...
- 6/26/2023
- by Ray Greene, Leigh Monson, Brent Simon, Manuel Betancourt, Murtada Elfadl, Andy Klein, Matthew Jackson, Jordan Hoffman, Tomris Laffly, Phil Pirrello, Sam Barsanti, and Brett Buckalew
- avclub.com
Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser in Air Photo: Ana Carballosa © Amazon Content Services LLC Air may mark the first time that Jason Bateman and Matt Damon have worked together, but they’ve run in the same circles for a long time — in fact, they’re even part of a small, competitive “celebrity Wordle group.” Having become good friends over the years, Bateman told us, actually added a little bit of a challenge to his “Air” assignment, since he had to look beyond his friend to see the character Damon was playing. (Click on the media bar below to hear Jason Bateman) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Jason_Bateman_acting_Matt_Damon_.mp3 Air is currently streaming on Prime Video.
The post In Making ‘Air,” Jason Bateman Had To See Through Matt Damon appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post In Making ‘Air,” Jason Bateman Had To See Through Matt Damon appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 6/21/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Now this sounds right up Jason Bateman’s alley. Deadline reports that Jason Bateman is set to star in and direct a series adaptation of David Gauvey Herbert’s Esquire magazine article Daddy Ball for Netflix and Aggregate.
Daddy Ball deals with dad-on-dad youth sports rivalries, but on the Long Island Inferno, two fathers, both with complicated pasts, took it all too far. There were claims of stalking, corrupt cops, and mob connections. Neither man was ever the same. Daddy Ball, which will be retitled for the series, has the potential to be exactly the type of dark comedy that Jason Bateman excels at.
Related Interview: Kate Beckinsale and Ken Jeong Talk Fool’s Paradise
Here’s Deadline’s description of the article: “Determined not to follow in his detached father’s footsteps, Bobby Sanfilippo found himself doing quite the opposite with his son. He became entangled in an epic...
Daddy Ball deals with dad-on-dad youth sports rivalries, but on the Long Island Inferno, two fathers, both with complicated pasts, took it all too far. There were claims of stalking, corrupt cops, and mob connections. Neither man was ever the same. Daddy Ball, which will be retitled for the series, has the potential to be exactly the type of dark comedy that Jason Bateman excels at.
Related Interview: Kate Beckinsale and Ken Jeong Talk Fool’s Paradise
Here’s Deadline’s description of the article: “Determined not to follow in his detached father’s footsteps, Bobby Sanfilippo found himself doing quite the opposite with his son. He became entangled in an epic...
- 6/13/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production banner Artists Equity states that it “did not consent” to the use of a monologue from the film “Air” in a new campaign ad for Donald Trump.
On Saturday, Trump shared a fundraising video on his Truth Social platform. The ad features footage and images of the former president throughout his life, accompanied by audio of Damon’s climactic monologue from the film “Air.” In the spring release, Damon’s Nike exec gives the speech to a young Michael Jordan to convince him to sign a sponsorship deal with the shoe company.
“We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from ‘Air’ being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use,” a spokesperson for Artists Equity told Variety on Sunday. “Specifically in terms of any and...
On Saturday, Trump shared a fundraising video on his Truth Social platform. The ad features footage and images of the former president throughout his life, accompanied by audio of Damon’s climactic monologue from the film “Air.” In the spring release, Damon’s Nike exec gives the speech to a young Michael Jordan to convince him to sign a sponsorship deal with the shoe company.
“We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from ‘Air’ being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use,” a spokesperson for Artists Equity told Variety on Sunday. “Specifically in terms of any and...
- 6/11/2023
- by McKinley Franklin
- Variety Film + TV
Donald Trump’s use of a monologue from the Ben Affleck and Matt Damon film Air has been condemned in a statement from the production.
Trump’s campaign posted the video Saturday on his Truth Social network. It shows an inspirational Air monologue by Matt Damon juxtaposed over scenes from Trump’s political career, showing his struggles against his foes, before dissolving into a Trump rally, ending with a donation screen promising to “Make America Great Again.”
It has been shared on Trump’s social media site more than 10,000 times and has more than 34,000 likes.
A statement from Affleck and Damon’s spokesperson condemned the Trump video.
“We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use. Specifically in terms of any and all...
Trump’s campaign posted the video Saturday on his Truth Social network. It shows an inspirational Air monologue by Matt Damon juxtaposed over scenes from Trump’s political career, showing his struggles against his foes, before dissolving into a Trump rally, ending with a donation screen promising to “Make America Great Again.”
It has been shared on Trump’s social media site more than 10,000 times and has more than 34,000 likes.
A statement from Affleck and Damon’s spokesperson condemned the Trump video.
“We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use. Specifically in terms of any and all...
- 6/11/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
On Saturday, former President Donald Trump posted a fundraising video to his Truth Social account that combined a monologue from Matt Damon’s character in the film Air, along with photos and videos of Trump.
In a statement Saturday, Artists Equity, the production company that produced Air and was co-founded by Damon and Ben Affleck, said that it did not approve of the use of the monologue for the Trump ad.
“We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use,” the statement said. “Specifically in terms of any & all rights available to us under U.S. copyright and intellectual property law, we hereby, expressly give notice that in the case of any use of material from Air by the Trump campaign where approval or consent is required,...
In a statement Saturday, Artists Equity, the production company that produced Air and was co-founded by Damon and Ben Affleck, said that it did not approve of the use of the monologue for the Trump ad.
“We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use,” the statement said. “Specifically in terms of any & all rights available to us under U.S. copyright and intellectual property law, we hereby, expressly give notice that in the case of any use of material from Air by the Trump campaign where approval or consent is required,...
- 6/11/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you’re looking for something new to watch on Amazon Prime Video, you’ve come to the right place. May brings a couple of high-profile 2022 releases to the streaming service for the first time, as well as the streaming debut of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s feel-good sports story “Air,” which opened exclusively in theaters earlier this year. Whether you’re looking for an auteur-driven drama, whimsical comedy or a full-on Western, there’s truly something for everyone in our curated list of the best films newly streaming this month.
Check out some of the best new movies to stream on Amazon Prime Video in May below.
“Air”
Have you ever wondered how Nike secured the rights to Michael Jordan’s likeness and created the unstoppable Air Jordan brand? Well, even if you haven’t, here’s a movie that explains it anyway. Matt Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro,...
Check out some of the best new movies to stream on Amazon Prime Video in May below.
“Air”
Have you ever wondered how Nike secured the rights to Michael Jordan’s likeness and created the unstoppable Air Jordan brand? Well, even if you haven’t, here’s a movie that explains it anyway. Matt Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro,...
- 5/21/2023
- by Adam Chitwood and Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Ben Affleck’s freshly released sports film Air expertly depicts the fascinating history of Nike’s legendary sneaker brand, “Air Jordan.” The focus of the movie is Nike talent scout Sonny Vaccaro’s tenacious pursuit of Michael Jordan in order to secure him for their upcoming launch and create a shoe line exclusively for him. Numerous additional Nike employees were actively involved in the pursuit, much like Sonny Vaccaro. Although not all leading employees at Nike initially agreed with the notion, Vaccaro’s ground-breaking approach eventually convinced them, leading them to accept and fall in love with this innovative strategy.
Spoilers Ahead
Rob Strasser
Rob Strasser (played by Jason Bateman), Nike’s Vice President of Marketing, contrasted with Sonny Vaccaro in his approach to risk-taking. Rather than being a bold risk-taker, Rob was known for his calculated nature and ability to validate various opinions while adapting to different perspectives. However,...
Spoilers Ahead
Rob Strasser
Rob Strasser (played by Jason Bateman), Nike’s Vice President of Marketing, contrasted with Sonny Vaccaro in his approach to risk-taking. Rather than being a bold risk-taker, Rob was known for his calculated nature and ability to validate various opinions while adapting to different perspectives. However,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Deloris Jordan In ‘Air,’ Explained: How Significant Was Deloris’s Presence In Michael Jordan’s Life?
Deloris Jordan, born Deloris Peoples in North Carolina in 1941, is the mother of basketball legend Michael Jordan. Deloris Jordan, played by Viola Davis in Ben Affleck’s sports drama Air, emerges as a crucial and important figure in Michael Jordan’s quest to become a sporting superstar. Although the film largely concentrates on the history of how Nike introduced the “Air Jordan” to the world, it places a significant emphasis on Deloris and her role in her son’s success. Deloris’s brilliance, perseverance, and unfailing conviction in her son’s skills is highlighted by Viola Davis’s outstanding performance. The portrayal of Deloris in the film symbolizes the spirit of a loving mom who is actively involved in molding her child’s destiny.
Although Sonny Vaccaro never approached Jordan’s parents directly, the movie takes artistic license to illustrate Deloris as having a significant impact on Michael’s life.
Although Sonny Vaccaro never approached Jordan’s parents directly, the movie takes artistic license to illustrate Deloris as having a significant impact on Michael’s life.
- 5/17/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Success is not a matter of chance; it is achieved through strong belief, persistent hard work, and the willingness to take risks. In the sports drama Air, directed by Ben Affleck, the story takes place in 1985, during the time of Nike’s emergence as a revolutionary change in sports footwear. This film depicts that Nike’s extraordinary success was not a result of mere luck but rather the outcome of devoted and determined employees such as Sonny Vaccaro, Phil Knight, Rob Strasser, and others. They were instrumental in shaping Nike’s trajectory and ensuring its rise to prominence as a leading brand in the world of athletics and style. One of the key characters in the film is Sonny Vaccaro, an astute and visionary talent scout for Nike. Sonny is the mastermind behind the groundbreaking idea of involving Michael Jordan in their upcoming shoe line, a move that would leave...
- 5/16/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
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...
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...
- 5/15/2023
- by Alicia Geigel
- Popsugar.com
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,...
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,...
- 5/13/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
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...
- 5/12/2023
- by Lopamudra Mukherjee
- Film Fugitives
Air is a film directed by Ben Affleck starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck himself.
With the same narrative premise as in Good Will Hunting, these two great actors return, in different ways, to join forces and give us another great film in the purest good-feeling style of the eighties.
This time, from the corporate world of Nike and from the iconic marketing campaign about the sneakers of none other than Michael Jordan.
Air (2023) About the movie
Some people don’t like him and others like him great, but Mr. Ben Affleck won an Oscar for Argo and here he achieves again a round film that, within its scheme, works perfectly, managing to accomplish a whole vision of the business world behind professional sports, giving entity and credibility to the characters, knowing how to execute the narrative tempos and achieving great performances (including his own).
On the technical side, also...
With the same narrative premise as in Good Will Hunting, these two great actors return, in different ways, to join forces and give us another great film in the purest good-feeling style of the eighties.
This time, from the corporate world of Nike and from the iconic marketing campaign about the sneakers of none other than Michael Jordan.
Air (2023) About the movie
Some people don’t like him and others like him great, but Mr. Ben Affleck won an Oscar for Argo and here he achieves again a round film that, within its scheme, works perfectly, managing to accomplish a whole vision of the business world behind professional sports, giving entity and credibility to the characters, knowing how to execute the narrative tempos and achieving great performances (including his own).
On the technical side, also...
- 5/12/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
“Air” was a labor of love for a lot of people, evidenced not least by Ben Affleck’s willingness to wear peak ’80s jackets and athleisure clothing as Nike boss Phil Knight. But all of the clothing, as organized by costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones, gives audiences a sense of the era in which Nike marketing exec Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) seeks a new kind of partnership with young phenom Michael Jordan. The costumes also help pinpoint Nike’s relative standing in the industry in relation to Converse and Adidas, marking Vaccaro and his team as underdogs.
“I wanted [Nike] to feel behind,” Jones told IndieWire. “I wanted them to definitely feel behind the times, like they hadn’t quite caught up to the fashion. I really wanted the Portland offices to reflect that time before we had Internet, before trends were widely dispersed globally like they are now and there were more regional fashion styles.
“I wanted [Nike] to feel behind,” Jones told IndieWire. “I wanted them to definitely feel behind the times, like they hadn’t quite caught up to the fashion. I really wanted the Portland offices to reflect that time before we had Internet, before trends were widely dispersed globally like they are now and there were more regional fashion styles.
- 5/12/2023
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Air (Ben Affleck)
Sonny Vaccaro knows his basketball. As played with reliable conviction by Matt Damon, the head scout in Nike’s dwindling hoops division has a keen eye for the next great players, attending high school all-star tournaments around the country and scanning for potential endorsements. But Sonny is also a gambler, and on the tail end of his trips he jets over to Las Vegas to lock in a couple parlays, betting on NBA money lines and spreads before throwing all his winnings away at the craps table a minute later. You get the sense this has become his beleaguered ritual. At some point those basketball instincts and his penchant to go for broke will align and finally pay off.
Air (Ben Affleck)
Sonny Vaccaro knows his basketball. As played with reliable conviction by Matt Damon, the head scout in Nike’s dwindling hoops division has a keen eye for the next great players, attending high school all-star tournaments around the country and scanning for potential endorsements. But Sonny is also a gambler, and on the tail end of his trips he jets over to Las Vegas to lock in a couple parlays, betting on NBA money lines and spreads before throwing all his winnings away at the craps table a minute later. You get the sense this has become his beleaguered ritual. At some point those basketball instincts and his penchant to go for broke will align and finally pay off.
- 5/12/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
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,...
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,...
- 5/12/2023
- by Jeff Kotuby
- The Streamable
The combination of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon proved to be a winning formula for "Air," and the film's theatrical success proved that moviegoers are still interested in more adult-centric storylines that don't involve people with superpowers (read our review here). Granted, Michael Jordan is about as close to a superhero as you can get in the sports world and his global brand appeal certainly didn't hurt the film's impressive box office. Marking the first project from Affleck and Damon's new production company Artists Equity, "Air" was initially going to be released exclusively on Prime Video before Amazon made a late call to release the film theatrically, a gamble that mostly paid off. So far, "Air" has made just a hair under $80 million globally with a premiere on streaming still on the horizon. That kind of coin should make Amazon even more confident in its decision to make a larger...
- 5/2/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
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