Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have a long history. Before the actors were household names, they were climbing the Hollywood ranks together. And when Good Will Hunting came along, they both became hot tickets.
Unsurprisingly, as two young breakout stars in the industry, they would potentially be up for similar gigs. There was some friendly competition, with the friends even circling the same superhero movie role.
Damon was in the casting mix for a particular Marvel movie character, one he and Affleck had revered as kids, but The Martian star decided to pass. Knowing his buddy was more excited about the project, he took a step back. What are friends for, after all?
So, what Marvel movie did Damon pass on? As he revealed in an interview with Peter Travers, it was none other than Daredevil; “That was our guy when we were growing up. That was our favourite superhero.”
“I didn’t love the script, and I didn’t know the director. He hadn’t really done anything,” he continued. “So, I just tried to divorce my emotion from it. Ben is more of an emotional guy. He was like, ‘Daredevil!’ He just went and did it.”
While the action movie probably isn’t making it onto anyone’s Marvel movies ranked lists, the idea of Damon in the role is certainly curiosity piquing. That being said, one could easily argue Affleck was a perfect choice for the emo, grungey aesthetics of some early 2000s movies — and the 2003 flick certainly had that vibe.
As for Charlie Cox’s turn as the ‘Man Without Fear’ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans are crossing their fingers that they don’t have to wait long for official news on the Daredevil season 4 release date. Not to worry, though, there are plenty of other Marvel series to keep us satiated. And if you need a refresher on what’s coming down the pipeline, check out our Marvel’s Phase 5 explained guide.