Matt Damon is starring in “Air” as sneaker salesman turned former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, with Ben Affleck playing Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Among the renowned character actors joining them in the film’s cast are Jason Bateman as Nike executive (and Vaccaro’s boss) Rob Strasser; Viola Davis and Julian Tennon as Michael Jordan’s mother and father, Deloris and James Jordan; Chris Tucker as former college basketball player turned Nike junior executive and player liaison, Howard White; Matthew Maher as (eventual) Air Jordan sneaker designer Peter Moore; Chris Messina as Michael Jordan’s original agent David Falk, and; Tom Papa as the basketball player, coach, and executive Stu Inman. Marlon Wayans will also co-star as the trailblazing coach George Raveling, making “Air” the rare dramatic project he’s tackled since his acclaimed turn in “Requiem for a Dream.”
In addition to starring, Affleck will direct “Air” from Alex Convery’s script and produce the film with Damon. Other producers include David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman, with Affleck referring to the real events that inspired the film in a statement as “a remarkable and aspirational story.” After years of waiting for his next directorial effort, it will certainly be interesting where the world’s most famous Dunkin’ Donuts employee evolves as a storyteller from here.