The silver screen is a fantastic medium for sneaker brands to market their wares to the masses, provided it is executed in a way that looks unforced and sensible. We may dislike product adverts being sneakily implanted in movies, but it’s a marketing stunt that sometimes just works. There have been a substantial number of sneaker moments in movie history, though we know it would be rather stale if we mention Back To The Future again. So, we present you with the Top 5 Nike Sneaker Moments in Movies (in no particular order) that you probably missed.
1. Jumpman Bat Boot.
Considering superhero motion pictures are in trend right now, we think it is a good idea to provide a little history on Batman and Nike’s relationship for those who may not be aware of it.
The relationship could be seen for the first time when Nike’s Air Trainer 3 was featured in 1989’s Batman. A perfect fit for the Gotham crusader’s stunt-filled shenanigans, actor Michael Keaton and stuntmen loved the shoe so much that Nike provided the footwear for Batman’s second outing. That time around, Air Jordan was designed for another Michael than Michael Jordan. The 6s was revamped into a combat boot for Michael Keaton as Batman in the 1992 movie “Batman Returns”. It comes as no surprise that Nike’s partnership with Warner Bros made it possible to combine Batman with the Jumpman.
2. George Of The Jungle With The Big Air.
This Tarzan parody may be reviled by some moviegoers for its over-the-top setting and snooze-worthy plot, but “George of the Jungle” is occasionally hilarious in its ridiculousness.
The movie incorporated a scene where our baboon brain protagonist opens a Nike box containing the Air More Untempo, puts it on then proceeds to sprint back to a jungle in Africa. A+ for marketing effort, but up pops a question: why is George wearing a basketball shoe instead of a running shoe for… well, running?
3. Knock Off Version of The Air Max2 Charles Barkley in Jumanji
The young boy version of Robin Williams’ character Alan is the scion of a footwear factory owner, whose facility provided for their town during its prime. A worker at his dad’s factory showed Alan this Nike basketball shoe and claimed, “If I can get Wilt Chamberlain to wear them, I predict there will be a pair of these in every closet in America.”
By the looks of the silhouette, we can tell that is the Air Max 2 Charles Barkley. What’s peculiar is the shoe is imprinted with the word “Parrish” instead of the expected Nike logo. We have no idea whether this is a legit product placement or just another kick off.
4. Remember Wear Your Vandals To Fight Arnold.
In the original Terminator (1984), Michael Biehn wore Nike Vandals while playing Kyle Reese. One detail that Terminator fans will appreciate from the recreation, Terminator Genisys (2015), is the part when character Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) quickly gets dressed on the run with Nike Vandals, just like the character did in the first episode. The costume designers even begged Nike to reproduce the sneakers and they succeeded.
5. Air Jordan 2 “Space Jam” (we mean AJ2 in Space Jam).
Talking about Space Jam, everyone will automatically lay their eyes on the holy grail colourway of the Air Jordan XI. However, don’t forget who actually assisted Jordan while the Looney Tune Team was down by a single point with only 10 seconds left. Without any available players to fill the fifth slot, Bill Murray materialized out of nowhere and was ready to play. What is more notable than his no-look pass to Jordan to beat the buzzer is the pair of ‘Chicago’ Jordan 2 he had laced up.
