Ben Affleck’s Nike drama adds Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina and more to cast
Ben Affleck has assembled an all-star cast for his untitled Nike drama for Amazon Studios.
According to Deadline (opens in new tab), Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, Marlon Wayans, Matthew Maher, Tom Papa, and Julius Tennon have all joined the film, which also sees Ben Affleck directing and starring alongside friend and longtime co-collaborator Matt Damon.
The movie, which entered production in Los Angeles this week, follows the real-life story of Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), the sneaker salesman who signed Michael Jordan to his first ever endorsement deal. Affleck is set to star as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, with Bateman playing longtime Nike executive Rob Strasser and Tucker as Howard White, former college basketball player and Nike junior executive.
Though Michael Jordan himself will be more of a "mythic figure hovering over the film," Davis will play the basketball legend's mother Deloris Jordan – who apparently had a significant influence on Michael's Nike Deal – with Tennon as his father James. Wayans will portray college basketball coach George Raveling, who made history by being the first Black coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Pacific-10. Chris Messina has been cast as David Falk, Michael's first agent and also the man often credited with creating the name "Air Jordan."
Maher is set to play Peter Moore, the Nike designer who created the iconic "Jumpman" logo, and Papa will play former Portland Trail Blazers executive Stu Inman.
The original script, titled Air Jordan, was penned by Alex Convery and was named one of the best unproduced screenplays in the 2021 Black List roundup. Though there is no official release date, the movie will debut on Amazon Prime Video.
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