Moviegoers will be lacing up their shoes to check out the latest film “Air”, which hits theaters this Wednesday. It’s the story of how Michael Jordan and Nike, teamed up to create the iconic footwear brand, “Air jordan” and took the shoe game by storm. Actor and director, Ben Affleck, along with some of the cast took a moment to share the sole of the story.
Before there was Air Jordan, there was just Michael Jordan.
In Ben Affleck’s directed, “Air”, fans of Michael and Nike, see how the game-changing partnership gave rise to the Air Jordan brand.
Ben Affleck: “Those Air Jordans came out and Nike was, went from this kind of hippie marathon jogging company to a cool, you know, urban company that you were cool if you had those, those shoes on.”
The biopic not only reunites Ben and friend-turned-business partner, Matt Damon but is the first project between the pair’s production company, artists equity.
Ben Affleck: “One of the things we do is we, we want to try to find the best, not just performers and writers, but, also the best crew behind the camera, those artists, and really compensate them, but, you know, better, and, and we believe that as a result, you have better product and you’ll have better movies and you’ll be ultimately it’s a business decision to be more profitable.”
The cast was excited to tell the tale of the NBA legend’s shoes, but what really impressed them was the backstory behind how the “Jumpman” image, became a household name.
Chris Messina: “This kind of underdog story, I would never think of Nike as an underdog as, as we know them today, so, it was an education.”
Jason Bateman: “Having seen the film, I now even hold Jordan even higher and the brand higher and the shoe are like so, I don’t know if Ben realizes it, but, he may have just shot a, you know, a 90-minute commercial for Nike.”
The stars say there’s more to being “Like Mike” than just snagging a pair of his kicks.
Ben Affleck: “He has been a hero to me.”
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