The story of Michael Jordan's game changing partnership with Nike – the most successful athlete sponsorship deal of all-time – will be told like never before in a major Hollywood release.
The film will follow Nike's quest to sign Jordan in the 1980s and star Ben Affleck as Nike founder Phil Knight alongside Matt Damon portraying influential Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro. Backed by Amazon Studios, the movie will tell the story of how Jordan's signature transformed the fortunes of Nike.
The landmark deal is one of the most significant moments in sports culture. Before signing Jordan, the Swoosh only brought in 50 per cent of adidas' revenue and were soon to be outstripped by Reebok. The rise of MJ and 'Jordan Brand' changed things forever, drawing $100m in sales within its first 12 months and is now thought to be worth over $3 billion.
The deal changed the way athletes work with brands, and elevated the idea of sporting heroes being seen as cultural icons, too. Jordan Brand continues to push boundaries beyond basketball, famously partnering with PSG in 2018.
The film comes hot on the heels of Netflix's 2020 documentary 'The Last Dance', which brought the story of Jordan's legacy to a new generation for the first time. A release date for the new film is yet to be confirmed.