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Ben Affleck

Gerry Cardinale and Ben Affleck at the Dealbook conference in November.
Matthew Belloni • April 13, 2023

Ben Affleck’s ‘Air’ and the Super-Weird State of Movies (Part 2)

In an age of global buyouts, a vanishing middle class of actors and filmmakers, and a likely upcoming writers strike, it’s easy to see why Artists Equity feels revolutionary. So why are so many executives, producers, and finance types so skeptical?
Matthew Belloni • April 10, 2023
Ben Affleck’s ‘Air’ and the Super-Weird State of Movies (Part 1)
The cast of Ben Affleck-directed sports drama ‘Air’ starring Matt Damon and friends.
In theatrical terms, Air is a $130 million release that, even with tens of millions of dollars in marketing and great word-of-mouth, will likely top out at less than half that in U.S. theaters. So how come everyone is rushing to declare it a hit?