Matt Damon may star in an upcoming movie about the Catholic Church sex scandal for director Tom McCarthy. The film has long been in development at Dreamworks and Damon is the first big star associated with the project. While there is no certainty that he will be in the film, Damon’s close relationship with his hometown would be a step in the right direction.
IndieWire provided a nice summary of the film:
The highly charged drama is aiming to be an “All The President’s Men”-style movie that will center on the journalists at the Boston Globe — Michael Rezendes, Sacha Pfeiffer and Matt Carroll, Spotlight Team Editor Walter “Robby” Robinson, Special Projects Editor Ben Bradlee Jr. and Globe Editor Marty Baron — who discovered and exposed that Cardinal Bernard Law, America’s Senior Catholic Prelate, was protecting priests accused of assault, by moving them to different parishes, where they offended again.
The subject matter of the film would definitely be contentious for Hollywood and the movie-going public, but it would be a fascinating story to see dramatized on screen. The focus being on the reporters trying to uncover the scandal is the least offensive way to tackle the topic while instead focusing on those surrounding it and how the revelations affect their own lives.
Once the film gets underway, I would not be shocked to see protests and more media coverage, especially if Damon gets any high caliber co-stars for the film. It is unknown who Damon would play in the movie, but I can see him either as a reporter, editor, parent, or possible victim.