MANILA, Philippines — Ben Affleck's latest directorial outing sees him reuniting with Matt Damon for "Air" to tell the story of how Nike acquired Michael Jordan — arguably the greatest basketball player who ever lived — and launched his signature shoe brand.
It is the first time Affleck is directing his good friend Damon after numerous collaborations dating back to their breakout film "Good Will Hunting" in 1997; it is also Affleck's first directorial job in seven years since he helmed "Live By Night," which followed his Oscar-winning 2012 film "Argo."
Damon portrays Nike shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro, while Affleck himself stars as the sports brand's co-founder Phil Knight. Screenwriter Alex Convery penned the script.
"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," reads the film's description.
The first trailer for "Air" begins with Jason Bateman's character Rob Strasser pointing out that in 1984, Nike was declining, thus Affleck's Knight asks Damon's Vaccaro to help grow their basketball division.
Vaccaro discusses the pitch with Bateman's Strasser and other Nike employees played by comedians Chris Tucker and Marlon Wayans.
Strasser dares Vaccaro to come up with a new idea, and the latter immediately gets back to him after watching a video. He even joked that Vaccaro may have found Jesus.
WATCH: "Air" starring Matt Damon, directed by Ben Affleck
"I'm willing to bet my career on one guy," says Vaccaro as he drives up to the home of the Jordans, with award-winning actress Viola Davis as Deloris and Julius Tennon as James Sr.
"Do you typically make it a habit to show up to people's front doors unannounced?" asks Davis' Deloris, to which Vaccaro said he doesn't take no for answer. Tennon's James Sr. retorts, "Oh man, here we go."
Vaccaro begins defending his decision to Knight to take their chance on a basketball player who has never played a professional game yet, "That's the literal definition of rookie."
Clips of shoe designs and examples are then seen as Nike begins plans to create a show line around the said individual player — Michael Jordan.
"I believe in your son. I believe he's the future, and his story is going to make us want to fly... but a shoe is just a shoe," goes Vaccaro's voice over clips of the basketball player walking through the Nike office and of the now-famous logo of the shoe line that bears his name.
The trailer ends with Knight asking what the shoe line's name will be, and Vaccaro answers, "Air Jordan." After initial hesitation, Knight says the name might grow on him.
"Air" premieres in Philippine theaters on April 19, 2023.
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