Matt Damon has recently revealed that he was once going to direct Manchester by the Sea before passing it to Kenneth Lonergan. The revelation came during Damon’s appearance on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast after he received praise from Christopher Nolan for his potential as a director. Damon reflected on the directing opportunities he ultimately turned down in his career and why he felt Manchester by the Sea was better off in Lonergan’s hands.

Damon's comments offer fresh insight into one of the biggest career decisions he made behind the camera. 

Matt Damon revealed he was once attached to direct Manchester by the Sea before deciding to pass the project on to writer Kenneth Lonergan. Reflecting on the process, the Oscar winner said that as the screenplay developed and matured, he grew convinced that Lonergan was the right person to bring the story to the screen. Poehler then said that Christopher Nolan was surprised that Damon had never directed a feature film. He thought the actor would make an excellent director. The question made Damon look back at the movies he nearly directed, and spell out why he ultimately did not take the job.

“I almost directed a couple of things. Another movie that John Krasinski and I commissioned Kenny to write, Manchester by the Sea, and I was going to direct it. And then as the script as it started to come in, I was like, Kenny, you've got to do it," Damon said, stating that reading the screenplay convinced him Lonergan was the right person.

Damon also thought about another directing opportunity he turned down, to direct Promised Land in 2012. But the production on another project took longer than expected, so he could not commit to directing the film. Rather, he stepped back, brought in Gus Van Sant to take over, and stayed involved as a producer, feeling the decision ultimately helped the project. 

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Although Damon never made his directorial debut, he built an accomplished career behind the camera in other roles 

Matt Damon has long been seen as a potential director by collaborators, but he has chosen to stay in front of the camera. While he has never directed a feature, Damon has continued to build a solid résumé as a producer and screenwriter. Through production companies such as Pearl Street Films and, more recently, Artists Equity, he has backed acclaimed projects, but he has also been considering a potential directorial debut. 

He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay with Ben Affleck for Good Will Hunting and co-wrote The Last Duel with Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener. As a producer, Damon has been behind acclaimed films like Manchester by the Sea through his company, Pearl Street Films, before co-founding Artists Equity in 2022. As the company’s Chief Content Officer, he has made it a priority to support filmmaker-driven projects and a more collaborative and equitable production model.

In the end, Damon’s latest remarks suggest that his on-camera choices have been dictated more by what he believes is right for the specific project rather than his own personal desire. Though he has yet to make his directorial debut, he has already made a significant impact on Hollywood as a screenwriter, producer, and creative collaborator. However, it remains to be seen that if he get behind the director’s chair eventually. But his thoughtful approach indicates that he is willing to wait for the right story. 

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Will Matt Damon eventually make his long-awaited directorial debut after years of choosing the right story over the director's chair? Let us know in the comments.