Ben Affleck, Matt Damon Working Together Again On Upcoming Sports Project

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Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will once again work together on an upcoming film chronicling Nike's negotiations with Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.

The co-Academy Award winners will star in the Amazon Studios film Air, which will reportedly get a global theatrical release on April 5, 2023, Deadline's Anthony D'Alessandro reported on Monday (January 23).

Affleck, who will also serve as the film's director, will play the role of Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Damon will play Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro in a cast that also includes Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Matthew Maher, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis, Gustaf Skarsgård and Julius Tennon. Air is reportedly expected to have a longer window in theaters than Amazon's recent theatrical releases before streaming on Prime Video and will be distributed with Warner Bros. Pictures internationally as part of its partnership with Amazon's MGM, according to D'Alessandro.

“Matt and I are very excited for audiences to see Air and proud that it’s the first release from Artists Equity," Affleck said in a statement obtained by Deadline. "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. I appreciate and value [Head of Amazon and MGM Studios] 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.”

Affleck and Damon have previously shared the screen in Good Will Hunting, which won the duo an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and Dogma, however, Air will mark the first time that Affleck has directed a film featuring his longtime friend.


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