Air
The Ben Affleck - directedAirhas become a immense decisive and commercial-grade hit , achieving whatThe Last Duelfailed to do . While the biopic tell the surprising true report of Nike , an underdog in the sporting marque world at the time , winning over Michael Jordan , it ’s also significant because it reunites Affleck and Matt Damon on the big filmdom together . The two actor ' close real - biography friendship has been well - documented over the decades , and that has often frequently crossed over to the big screen too . Among their many collaborationism , the two starred in the dramaGood Will Hunting , which they also co - wrote and won The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay .
Two years later , Affleck and Damon read how great they are at comedy act by playing the two fallen angels , Bartleby and Loki , in the Kevin Smith comedyDogma . Their performance inAirare something of a mixture between those two movies . But while the biographical dramedy grade their big comeback following 1999’sDogma , they also costarred in 2021’sThe Last Duel , whichbombed at the box office . The Ridley Scott - directed epic was Affleck and Damon ’s big on - screen reunion as independent characters for the first time in 22 old age , and while that should have been a huge hit , it was almost now block . But the inculpation does n’t lie with the actors .
The Last Duel’s Box Office Failure Explained
The Last Duelfollows Jean de Carrouges ( Damon ) , who take exception Jacques Le Gris ( Adam Driver ) to a duel after Jean ’s wife ( Jodie Comer ) accuses Jacques of raping her . It ’s an epic swords - and - sandals motion-picture show that not only reunites Damon and Affleck on the big screen but also marks Scott ’s take to the literary genre . The film had everything it call for to succeed : star power , a visionary conductor , and an epical tale of revenge . Unfortunately , the movie whole bombed at the box authority , making barely more than $ 30 million in its entire worldwide theatrical run ( viaBox Office Mojo ) , and what reach it worse is its huge budget of $ 100 million .
The Last Duel’smarketing did n’t capitalize on the moving picture score Damon and Affleck ’s on - blind reunification . Though Affleck only had a supporting part , leaning into the actors ' reunion would have hugely benefit its box federal agency performance . It was also a drab - looking picture that immediately followed the pandemic , and audiences wanted to see moving-picture show with a much lighter look at that time . But above all else , audience are n’t interested in diachronic retaliation picture . With another diachronic retaliation picture , The Northman , bombing just a few months later , historical epic poem simply is n’t a current motion picture trend . However , Gladiator 2 sounds goodand could finally change that .
Air Was Properly Marketed Around Ben Affleck & Matt Damon
Affleck has been heavily promotingAirwith Damon , which is something the player did n’t do forThe Last Duel . Air ’s marketing clear emphasizes that the two actor are the main draw , and it has worked fantastically . WhereThe Last Duelmade $ 30 million in its entire theatrical run , Airmade $ 15 million in its opening weekend alone , and that ’s just its domestic net profit . Even thoughAirisn’t completely historically exact , within one week of its freeing , it has already made more thanThe Last Duel’sentire worldwide complete ( viaBox Office Mojo ) .
But while marketing is subservient in the achiever of a picture show , the film ’s quality undoubtedly avail . The flick has a vast 92 percentage on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.8 on IMDb , both of which are much high thanThe Last Duel . Airdoesn’t need to be a box office hit , as it was ab initio planned to be released directly to Amazon Prime Video . Its theatrical release further upgrade its streaming release by building overconfident word of mouth . The 2023 motion picture will belike make back its $ 70 - 90 million budget in theatres , which is just a bonus for the studio apartment .
Air Can Redeem The Last Duel’s Awards Failures
Damon was n’t nominated for an Oscar for his part inThe Last Duel , andAffleck was even nominate for a Razzie , which was undeserved . ButAiris more in cable with what the Academy looks at in terms of playing , as biographical dramatic play are nominated every year . The one likely setback is recency preconception , as Academy voters have extremely short memories , and picture show release early in the year rarely get nominated . However , givenAir’spopularity and winner , it ’s probable that Damon could at least be nominated for play Sonny Vaccaro . And it ’s possible thatAircould make up forThe Last Duel’sfailures andArgo’ssnub too .
Affleck directed the 2013 Best Picture Winner but was not name for Best Director , which has become the most famous repulse in Oscars account . That had n’t bechance for 33 years , as the old case of this was 1989’sDriving Miss Daisy , but Affleck could be nominated for Best Director forAir . It could be a legacy nomination , similar to Martin Scorsese ’s victory forThe Departed . It was suppose that the Academy vote for the historied filmmaker because he ’d never deliver the goods an Oscar before , not becauseThe Departedwas the well - direct movie of that year . That ’s why Affleck could potentially even get ahead forAir .
Matt Damon and Adam Driver in The Last Duel
