According to Deadline, Matt Damon is in talks to star in that untitled sci-fi action comedy from directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, better known as The Daniels.
The role originally went to Ryan Gosling earlier this year, but he later exited because of “scheduling conflicts.” According to THR, Jack Black was also being considered before Damon became the frontrunner. Jeff Sneider also heard The Daniels were very high on Brad Pitt, Oscar Isaac and Keanu Reeves.
THR also has our first plot details, reporting the film involves “global warming, time travel, [and] a possible superhero angle.” The story reportedly jumps between two timelines — one set in the 1980s and another in present day — with the ’80s storyline centered on a group of teenagers. Damon would play the father of one of the teens.
The project is apparently a pretty major swing for Universal Pictures, with a budget somewhere around $150M. Most of the cast is expected to be teenagers, plus one major adult role, which explains why the studio was looking for someone with movie-star presence who could still fit the offbeat Daniels vibe. Damon honestly makes a lot of sense for that.
Kwan recently confirmed that the film is a “fun sci-fi action comedy” with “a big heart,” which is basically how EEAAO was described, less so their first feature — “Swiss Army Man” — which, at Sundance 2016, had been dubbed the “farting corpse movie.” Production is expected to start later this summer in Los Angeles after Damon wraps the press tour for “The Odyssey.”
The Daniels have been developing the movie for years following the success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Originally dated for June 12, 2026, this new project quietly vanished from Universal’s schedule last year, sparking rumors of creative overhauls. Kwan did confirm that the script has been tinkered with to adapt to constant changes in the world. The new date is November 19, 2027.
Now that Damon is close to signing on, attention will probably shift to casting the younger ensemble.