How to watch Ben Affleck's Nike movie 'Air'
Ben Affleck's latest directorial feature, Air, has earned praise from audiences and critics alike. Mashable's Film Editor Kristy Puchko called Air a "sincere American dream narrative." And you'll likely see the title making waves come awards season.
Air, produced by Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures, and Affleck and Matt Damon's Artists Equity, produced a remarkable theatrical release for a streaming service: to date, Air has grossed $79 million worldwide. The film's unprecedented debut around the world in theaters is in line with Amazon's (and Apple's) plan to put billions toward making films for the big screen — and this film's moment is far from over. Still in select theaters around the globe, Air will stream on Amazon Prime Video beginning May 12. Here's everything you need to know to watch.
Is Air a true story?
Air is based on the true story of how Nike's basketball division teamed up with then-NBA rookie and future superstar Michael Jordan for a historic partnership to launch the now-legendary Air Jordan shoe. It draws on real-life events to bring the American dream story to life on-screen. Although he does not appear in the film, Jordan himself allegedly gave the script his blessing and even insisted that Affleck cast Viola Davis as his mother Deloris.
The film also stars Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Matt Damon as marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, Chris Messina as sports agent David Falk, Marlon Wayans as basketball coach George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as creative director Peter Moore, and Jason Bateman as Nike chairman Rob Strasser.
Where can I stream the movie Air?
Since Air is produced in part by Amazon Studios, it only makes sense that the film will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video as of May 12. Prime members can also get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of Air with the full cast starting on May 5. Look for it on the Fire TV home screen.
Can I stream Air for free?
You can stream Air for free if you're a Prime member, or eligible for Amazon's Prime membership free trial. Who's eligible? Anyone who hasn't had a membership within the last 12 months — that means both new members and returning members can get 30 free days of streaming. During the trial period, you'll still receive all of the benefits of an Amazon Prime membership, including access to Prime Video. You can stream Air and many other Amazon exclusives in that amount of time. To avoid automatic charges at the end of the trial, be sure to cancel before your 30 days are up.
Don't qualify for the free trial? You can get the most bang for your buck by signing up for an annual Prime membership for $139 rather than a monthly membership for $14.99/month. This saves you $40.98 over the course of a year.
Are you a student? If you have a working .edu email address, you can sign up for Amazon Prime for students, which only costs $7.49/month ($69/year) and still gets you all of the perks of a full-price membership. You can easily sign up for one month of Prime for students, watch Air (and maybe some other Prime-exclusive films and shows), then cancel. If you're new to Prime and you're eligible for Prime Student, you can even get things started with a free six-month trial.
Can I get Prime Video without a Prime membership?
Amazon tries to keep it hush-hush that you can subscribe to Prime Video as a standalone streaming service — most likely to get you to sign up for a full Prime membership, which costs more. But if you're not interested in Prime as a whole and just want to stream Air and other Prime Video exclusives, you can sign up for only $8.99 per month (rather than the $14.99 per month for Prime as a whole). Plus, you can cancel immediately after signing up, still get the month of Prime Video that you paid for, and won't have to worry about getting billed automatically for another month.
If you're new to Prime or haven't been a member in over a year, you can also score a free 30 days to Prime Video as a standalone service. Just be sure to cancel before the trial is over to avoid charges. Oh, and remember that once you take advantage of the trial, you won't be able to again. In other words, make it count.
Other ways to watch Air
Air was released in theaters on April 5 and is still in select theaters across the globe. Check your local lineup to see Affleck's latest directorial feature on the big screen. While there's no official date for a physical DVD or digital release, rumor has it that it can be expected in June. If you simply cannot wait another month to see Air, your only options are to head to the theater or pull up the Prime Video app and stream it.