“The Whole Thing Is a Fraud”: Despite Inspiring $30,000,000 Project, Ben Affleck Was Forced to Exclude Billionaire Michael Jordan Due to Genius Reason

Published 03/22/2023, 9:23 AM EDT

Former Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan has left an enduring legacy in the annals of NBA history. Widely considered to be the greatest player of all time, the six-time champion’s absolute dominance on the hardwood has inspired generations. Jordan also inspired a recent $30 million project by Academy Award winning actor Ben Affleck. However, Affleck was compelled to exclude MJ from the ambitious venture as part of a genius strategy.

Affleck’s movie ‘Air’ is based on Michael Jordan and the iconic inception of the Jordan Brand with Nike. Recently, at the SXSW conference and festival, the movie premiered in a special screening, where people asked a very important question to the director. Where is Jordan himself?

Michael Jordan is not a part of the film for a very specific reason

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The movie also stars Matt Damon as the Nike founder, Viola Davis and her real-life husband as Jordan’s parents, and Damian Young as Jordan. But at the Q and A panel post the screening in New York, Affleck revealed that Michael Jordan has been intentionally left out of the film for a very specific reason.

Upon being asked for clarification, Affleck said it was always his plan to exclude Jordan, and never Michael’s decision. He explained that he had made the decision so that the audience wouldn’t feel cheated and think, “the whole thing is a fraud”. Incidentally, Damian Young(who played Jordan) is only shown from the back.

The filmmaker and actor justified his choice to exclude Jordan by saying that, “The whole reason why he represents and means what he does in terms of greatness and excellence, is because he’s so enigmatic and majestic and identifiable immediately, by his carriage and demeanor and what we’ve seen him do physically.”

In other words, the Good Will Hunting actor didn’t want to ruin the majestic aura of Jordan by adding ‘a knockoff’ version of MJ. “The only person who could play Michael Jordan, as I’ve said to him, is too old now to play Michael Jordan,” Affleck later added.

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‘Air’ is not a Jordan Biopic

‘Air’ covers the story of Jordan agreeing to a Nike contract despite being fascinated with Adidas. Surely the fans are eagerly waiting for the theatrical release of the film. Even though it might not be a true biopic, it still shows an integral part in the rise of the Jordan brand.

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Let us know what you think about Affleck’s movein the comments!

WATCH THIS STORY: Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, LeBron James – NBA Stars Who Were Inspired by High School Coaches

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Written by:

Ishpreet Kaur is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts, focused on Psychology and English, from the University of British Columbia. As a proud Canadian, Ishpreet is a big fan of the Toronto Raptors.

Edited by:

Satagni Sikder

“The Whole Thing Is a Fraud”: Despite Inspiring $30,000,000 Project, Ben Affleck Was Forced to Exclude Billionaire Michael Jordan Due to Genius Reason

Michael Jordan is not a part of the film for a very specific reason

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‘Air’ is not a Jordan Biopic