Ben Affleck To Direct Nike Drama For Amazon and He'll Also Star Alongside Matt Damon

Ben Affleck has signed on to direct a Nike drama for Amazon Studios and Skydance Sports. The filmmaker will also star in the film alongside Matt Damon. The original script was written by Alex Convery and it was included on the 2021 Black List of best-unproduced screenplays under the title Air Jordan. Affleck and Damon’s production company Mandalay Pictures acquired the script and are doing a pass on it.

This is a sports marketing film that tells the “incredible story of how Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), a maverick sneaker salesman, who led a fledgling running shoe company called Nike in its pursuit of the most transformative athlete in the history of sports: Michael Jordan. Affleck will portray Nike co-founder Phil Knight in the story surrounding Nike’s longshot effort to sign Jordan to its shoe company in the mid-’80s, an endorsement that seemed impossible at the time but which would become the most significant relationship between an athletic brand and an athlete and launched the global, multi-billion-dollar contemporary sneaker industry.”

It’s explained that “Sonny’s relentless quest to sign Jordan to what was then the third place shoe company takes him to Jordan’s parents, and in particular his powerful, dynamic mother, as well as to former coaches, advisors, friends and those close to Michael. Jordan himself is a giant mythic figure hovering above the movie and never seen, while Sonny tries to reach him by gaining access to those close to him and around him.”

That sounds like a fascinating story that will make for a great film. This seems like a great project for both Affleck and Damon to be a part of. This is also the first time that Affleck will direct Damon in a film. They most recently worked together on Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel.

Source: Deadline