The pair star in the first trailer for AIR, which is based on a true story and marks Affleck's first time directing since 2016's Live By Night. It's the first film from Affleck and Damon's new production company Artists Equity.
In it, Affleck, 50, plays Philip Knight, the co-founder of Nike, Inc., and Damon, 52, stars as Sonny Vaccaro, the sports marketing exec who helped sign Michael Jordan to Nike and launch Air Jordan sneakers.
Viola Davis is Jordan's mom Deloris in the film, and Davis's real-life husband Julius Tennon plays the NBA star's dad James. Air also stars Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker and Gustaf Skarsgård.
"AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike's fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand," an official synopsis reads. "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."
Affleck and Damon won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar back in 1998 for writing Good Will Hunting together, which they also starred in. Affleck has directed films like The Town and Argo, which won Best Picture in 2013. Damon and Affleck recently co-starred together in 2021's The Last Duel.
"Matt and I are very excited for audiences to see Air and proud that it's the first release from Artists Equity," Affleck said in a January statement, per Variety. "The movie was an extraordinary experience where we had the honor of working with some of the best cast and crew in the business, all of whom brought passion, persistence and creativity to a collective effort at recreating a remarkable and aspirational story."
"I appreciate and value Jen Salke's faith in our ability to execute on and deliver a movie we are proud of, as well as her and Sue Kroll's incredible ongoing support of the film," he added. "Amazon Studios, Skydance and Mandalay were all critical to getting this done, and the film couldn't have been made without them. We value the steps it took on each of their parts to make it happen and want to thank them."
Added Affleck, "This was the best creative and personal experience of our lives and we look forward to many more like it."
AIR is in theaters April 5.
