In the early 2000s, the superhero genre was on the cusp of a major resurgence. Studios were beginning to explore the possibility of bringing beloved comic book characters to the big screen. Among them was Marvel, which was keen to adapt its character Daredevil.
Matt Damon was offered the lead role in the film adaptation of the popular Marvel Comics character. However, he ultimately turned down the role. The role of Daredevil went to Damon’s childhood friend, Ben Affleck, who starred in the film alongside Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell, and Michael Clarke Duncan.
The Real Reason Behind Matt Damon’s Decision to Turn Down Daredevil
Matt Damon is one of Hollywood’s most successful actors, but there’s one role he turned down that he may regret: Daredevil.
Damon told Daily News (Via Variety) that as children, he and his best friend Ben Affleck dreamt of playing “Daredevil.”
“For us, it was always “Daredevil” — that’s the comic we read when we were kids,” Damon said.
“But when that one came along (in 2003) I chickened out, because I couldn’t tell. I hadn’t seen the director (Mark Steven Johnson’s) work and I didn’t know. So I just said, ‘no,’ Ben was like, ‘I ‘gotta do it.‘”
“And the movie ended up doing very well, even though I don’t think Ben was ultimately very proud of it,” Damon added.
Despite doing preferably well at the box office earning $179.2 million against the $78 million budget, the movie received mixed reviews and became one of the forgettable cinematic experiences for viewers.
Matt Damon Would Love to be a Part of Daredevil in the Future, but There is One Condition
Matt Damon has said that he would be open to playing Daredevil in the future, but only under the right circumstances. The actor knew the character was very interesting. So, he added his condition to be in the movie only if the acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan sits on the director’s chair to direct him.
“If Chris Nolan came up to me and said, ‘I want to do Daredevil,’ I would be in,” Damon said in an interview with Far Out magazine.
Even while Damon’s decision to decline Daredevil was initially viewed as a blunder, it has subsequently turned out to be a wise one. The movie bombed both critically and financially, and Affleck has since regretted accepting the role. On the other hand, Damon has persisted in producing hit movies and is now regarded as one of Hollywood’s prominent actors.
You can buy Daredevil on Apple TV
Source: Daily News (Via Variety)
