“It’s not Michael Jordan, you’re going to lose the audience”: Ben Affleck Was Very Concerned About His $30 Million Movie ‘Air’ While Casting an Actor For NBA Legend

Sneakerheads are in delight as Ben Affleck’s film Air based on the origin of Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers, is finally out. Not just the fans, even Jennifer Lopez seemed excited about the movie. She took to her Instagram to promote her husband’s film, saying, “A must see in theaters!!! This Wednesday.”

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck

Lopez’ post came after Ben Affleck’s optimistic comments about seeking Michael Jordan’s approval for his directorial work on the new film. The film depicts the historic deal between Nike and the NBA star that changed the course of sports endorsement history.

What Does Michael Jordan Think Of The New Film?

The movie was first showcased at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March. Although the film has received rave reviews from critics and viewers across the board, Michael Jordan’s final verdict is yet to be out. The movie will be released on April 5, and will be streaming on Amazon Prime in the coming months.

Despite being asked for a comment on the new film, a spokesperson for Jordan has yet to respond.

“I certainly wouldn’t be comfortable with promoting the movie any further by assigning Michael’s vote of approval to it,” Affleck told Reuters. “I will tell you that every step was taken along the way to make sure that he had every option available to him because of the respect that we have for him.”

NBA legend Michael Jordan

Dream Debut For Affleck And Damon’s New Production Company

The cast of Air includes Matt Damon, known for his role in Good Will Hunting. Damon portrays the real-life former sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro. He serves as both the movie’s producer as well as an actor.

On the other hand, Ben Affleck plays Nike’s co-founder Phil Knight, with Viola Davis, who is known for her role in The Woman King. She plays the part of Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan.

Air also marks the debut of Artists Equity, a new production company founded by Affleck and Damon. The new venture’s mission is to ensure that the cast and crew receive a fair share of the film’s profits.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have started their own production company

One Main Character Is Missing From The Film

Affleck and Damon opted not to cast anyone for the crucial role of Michael Jordan in Air. Instead of trying to cast an actor to fill the big shoes of Michael Jordan in the film, Affleck took a unique approach. The film includes actual footage of Jordan’s career highlights.

“The second you put the camera on an actor and say ‘Hey, it’s Michael Jordan’ and it’s not Michael Jordan, you’re going to lose the audience, so we knew. Michael’s just too famous and means too much to people to try to have someone else play him in a movie,” Damon said.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to star in Air.

Air delves into the origins of the Air Jordan basketball shoe, which first came out in the 1980s and featured the NBA star’s iconic mid-air silhouette with a basketball in hand. The shoe went on to become the most popular shoe line across the globe.