Matt Damon in talks to star in new Christopher Nolan movie slated for 2026

Deadline reports that Matt Damon is in talks to star in Christopher Nolan’s next movie. The Oppenheimer director is sticking with Universal Pictures for this new project, which will be released in IMAX on July 17, 2026. The studio was keen to keep Nolan around, particularly after the massive success of Oppenheimer, which grossed $977 million worldwide and picked up seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor.

As is typical with any Nolan project, details are being kept under wraps, but sources did tell Deadline that the film is looking to kick off production in early 2025. THR’s Borys Kit added that he’s heard the film is a “father-and-son story,” which could mean just about anything. If Damon signs on the dotted line, this will mark his third time working with Nolan. The actor was featured in a supporting role in Interstellar and played General Leslie Groves, director of the Manhattan Project, in Oppenheimer.

In addition to directing and writing the film, Nolan will also produce with Emma Thomas under their Syncopy banner.

It’s too early to guess what Nolan will be bringing to the table, but there were rumblings earlier this year that he was looking at developing a big-screen adaptation of The Prisoner, the 1960s TV series created by and starring Patrick McGoohan. I can certainly see Damon in that type of role, but personally, I think this new movie will be an original project. One thing that is certain… it’s going to be big. A Nolan movie means huge sets, large ensemble casts, and all the IMAX film stock he can get his hands on. The director has previously stated that he has no intention of returning to small-scale movies, not while he’s still able to convince studios to give him whatever he wants.

“I’m drawn to working at a large scale because I know how fragile the opportunity to marshal those resources is,” Nolan said. “I know that there are so many filmmakers out there in the world who would give their eye teeth to have the resources I put together, and I feel I have the responsibility to use them in the most productive and interesting way.“

What do you hope to see from this latest collaboration between Christopher Nolan and Matt Damon?