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Damon’s sci-fi roles in Elysium, Interstellar, and The Martian have opened new doors to his acting career. Though The Instigators received mixed reviews, Damon’s return to sci-fi may earn him an Oscar in the future. Damon took a risk and conquered the sci-fi genre, proving that he’s open to new challenges outside of action roles.
Matt Damon’s sci-fi film streak that ended with The Martian revealed a crucial truth about his career. Though the beloved actor, writer, and producer is celebrated to this day for his action roles and Boston-themed dramas, Damon’s career took a major turn in 2013’s Elysium, where he entered the world of sci-fi blockbusters. Damon then made a surprise cameo appearance in Christopher Nolan’s iconic intergalactic film Interstellar, before starring in Ridley Scott’s The Martian, which was nominated for seven Oscars. These three sci-fi space films remain some of the strongest work of his acting career.
Damon’s recent film, “The Instigators,” a heist comedy directed by Doug Liman, sees him and Casey Affleck return to the familiar setting of Boston. Though the film was well-received, “The Instigators” received mixed reviews from critics, a lackluster response from audiences, and was a disappointment from critics. Damon has appeared in a variety of films throughout his career, mostly dramas, but has yet to win an Academy Award for his acting. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2009 sports drama “Invictus,” and received a second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his lead role in “The Martian,” arguably the best film of his career.
Matt Damon starred in three sci-fi films between 2013 and 2015.
Given his track record, it’s great to see Damon return to the genre.
Damon starred in three great sci-fi movies between 2013 and 2015, but returned to more traditional action roles in the 2016 Jason Bourne reboot. His career is now very diverse, and he’s clearly at a stage where, like Ben Affleck, he only does projects that he finds appealing. Still, after Elysium, Interstellar, and The Martian, it would have been nice to see him take on more sci-fi roles, especially in space projects. There’s also talk of another Bourne movie, but with so much content already out of that franchise, it doesn’t seem all that exciting.
After the massive critical and commercial success of The Martian, Damon has largely stayed away from the sci-fi genre since then and seems to have abandoned it for a lot of things. There has also been talk of a sequel to Elysium for years, but as time goes on, that prospect seems less and less likely to come to fruition. It makes sense that Damon would establish his work in the sci-fi genre during a time when so many great sci-fi movies were being made, especially Interstellar, widely considered one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. Given his track record, it’s great to see Damon return to the genre.
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A return to sci-fi could finally help Damon win an acting Oscar.
The sci-fi genre has been an exciting career shift for Matt Damon, and it has never looked more promising than the 2016 Jason Bourne reboot, which many consider good but not great. Since then, the Bourne franchise has been in limbo, but now seems like the perfect time for Damon to find the next great sci-fi project to be a part of. He has recently lined up a number of collaborations with Affleck, including two upcoming films titled “Killing Gawker,” “Air” in 2023, “The Instigators” in 2024, and a Netflix film titled “R.I.P.”, which is a return to form in a way. “Killing Gawker” will see Damon and Affleck reteam with “Good Will Hunting” director Gus Van Sant.
Damon has nothing left to prove in his acting career. An Oscar may not mean much to him at this point in his career, and he could choose to focus on projects that he finds fun or is passionate about. However, a return to sci-fi would be a great path for Damon to finally win his first acting Oscar. Realistically, Damon would not do well in another Bourne film, and he may be past the point where he is interested in returning to physically demanding roles. Damon is 53 now, and not everyone can or wants to be Tom Cruise when it comes to action franchises.

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The future of the Bourne series is still largely up in the air, though Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass did team up for an oft-overlooked Bourne sequel in 2010.
Matt Damon has conquered the sci-fi genre as much as he has the action genre.
Damon’s risky move into sci-fi certainly paid off
Damon has made a huge impact on the scale of big sci-fi projects in the 2010s in just a short time. His foray into sci-fi with Elysium was certainly a risk initially, but it largely paid off, which likely led to him being considered for roles in Interstellar and The Martian. For better or worse, it’s encouraging that Damon was open to the idea of stepping out of his comfort zone as an actor, even though he could have continued doing more Bourne films if he wanted to. Damon will likely be busy with his upcoming collaboration with Affleck, which is no doubt exciting, but he should consider a move to sci-fi like The Martian in the future.

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