Two well-known actors and friends are partnering to bring the story of a former Nike Inc NKE executive to life.
What Happened: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are set to create a sports drama centered on the life of Sonny Vaccaro, according to Hollywood Reporter. Vaccaro was transformational in the pursuit of Nike signing Michael Jordan to an endorsement deal.
The drama counts Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures and Amazon Studios, a unit of Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN, as helping bring the movie to life.
Affleck and Damon will both star in the movie with Affleck also set to write and direct. Damon will play Vaccaro in the movie with Affleck taking on the role of Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
The story will follow the recruiting of Jordan by Vaccaro and how the endorsement helped become one of the key pieces in Nike’s early growth. Nike at the time trailed leaders in the shoe space and was seen as a longshot to get Jordan.
“Jordan will be a mythic figure hovering above the movie and never seen, even as Vaccaro tries to reach him by gaining access to those close to him and around him,” said Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit.
Related Link: If You Invested $1,000 In Nike Stock At IPO: Here's How Much You'd Have Now
Why It’s Important: Skydance Sports president Jon Weinbach and Mandalay Pictures chairman Peter Guber were producers on “The Last Dance,” an award-winning sports docuseries that followed Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
“The Last Dance” was a ratings slamdunk for ESPN, a unit of Walt Disney Co DIS. The series was also later added to the library of sports content for Netflix Inc NFLX.
An ESPN “30 for 30” documentary called “Sole Man” previously told Vaccaro’s story in 2015. Weinbach acquired the life rights to Vaccaro’s story.
Affleck and Damon have previously collaborated and acted together in several movies. The duo wrote and starred in the Oscar-winning film “Good Will Hunting.” Affleck will direct Damon for the first time in the movie.
Photo: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, The 89th Oscars, Feb. 26, 2017, on ABC Television Network, a unit of Walt Disney, photo by ABC/Adam Rose via Flickr Creative Commons
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