Source: IndieWire
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We knew that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Nike film “Air” would open in theaters from Amazon this April, but a new report suggests that the streamer is getting serious about its theatrical ambitions.
Variety reported Friday that “Air” will debut a pricey, $7-million Super Bowl ad as part of a build-up to its April 5 theatrical wide release, which Variety now says includes a rollout of roughly 3,000 screens and an exclusive theatrical window comparable to most major studios. That could mean somewhere in the range of a 45-day exclusive window, which has become industry standard for most studios, though it could be even longer if it performs.
Amazon previously announced it will release “Air” domestically, while Warner Bros. Pictures is handling its international release as part of the studio’s pact with Amazon’s MGM. The film will play in 240 countries worldwide, but Amazon has not commented on the scale of its domestic rollout.
Representatives for Amazon declined to comment on the report to IndieWire.
Back in November, it was reported that Amazon plans to invest more heavily in theatrical films, via a $1 billion initiative that would reportedly see them give wide releases to 12-15 films per year. And a wide release on over 3,000 screens would easily be the biggest theatrical release in Amazon’s history, surpassing other Amazon films like “Manchester by the Sea” and “The Big Sick” that played in theaters, though not including projects released by MGM, which Amazon officially acquired last March. “Air’s” potential theatrical rollout is also way larger than Netflix’s own dip into that well. Last year, Netflix’s “Glass Onion” played just over 600 theaters last November for a single week before debuting on the streamer a month later.
Other blockbusters expected to get Super Bowl spots during the broadcast two Sundays from now include “The Flash,” “Fast X,” and “The Little Mermaid.”
A biopic about former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and the creation of the iconic Michael Jordan-branded Air Jordan sneakers, “Air” will star Damon as Vaccaro, while Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis will also star in the film, which will feature Jordan in archival footage but will otherwise keep the superstar athlete offscreen. Affleck directed the film from a script by Alex Convery.
