Hollywood actor Matt Damon may be one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, but when asked about the Indian filmmaker he has always wanted to work with, his answer came as a surprise. While many international actors have expressed admiration for SS Rajamouli following the global success of RRR, Matt chose to revisit a missed opportunity from more than two decades ago instead.
The actor is currently in Mumbai along with Christopher Nolan, Tom Holland and producer Emma Thomas for the Indian premiere of The Odyssey. Ahead of the film’s red carpet premiere on Saturday, the team addressed the media at a press conference earlier in the day, where Damon reflected on a long-standing regret from his career. He revealed that turning down a Shekhar Kapur film because of a scheduling conflict is something he has never quite gotten over, adding that he still hopes to work with the acclaimed filmmaker someday.
A collaboration that never happened
When asked which Indian filmmaker he would most like to collaborate with, Matt Damon had his answer ready. Instead of picking a contemporary name, the actor spoke about veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and a project that slipped away more than two decades ago. “Gosh, I mean, yeah, the filmmaker starting out that everyone wanted to collaborate with was Shekhar Kapur,” he revealed.
Matt then opened up about almost starring in Shekhar Kapur’s 2002 film The Four Feathers, a collaboration that never happened because of a scheduling clash. Looking back, he admitted it is still one of the professional opportunities he wishes had worked out. “I remember when I couldn’t do The Four Feathers for some reason, and I was really upset about that,” he confessed.
Explaining why he had to walk away from the film, he added, “I think I was signed up for a Bourne movie.” The missed opportunity has clearly stayed with him over the years. “So I guess he’s always been on my list, and so I’d like to have another go. That’s like a 20-year-old little debt I’ve been carrying around in my pocket,” he said.
The film that went ahead without him
Shekhar Kapur’s The Four Feathers hit theatres in 2002. Based on A.E.W. Mason’s novel of the same name, the period drama featured the late Heath Ledger as Harry Feversham, a British officer who walks away from his regiment before they leave for Sudan. His decision earns him the label of a coward from his friends and fiancée, pushing him to secretly return to Sudan on a dangerous mission to reclaim his honour.
Along with Heath Ledger, the film starred Kate Hudson, Wes Bentley and Djimon Hounsou in important roles. The film also shared a memorable connection with India. To celebrate its release, Heath Ledger, Kate Hudson and Wes Bentley visited Mumbai for the premiere with director Shekhar Kapur. By then, Kapur had already made a name for himself internationally with acclaimed films like Elizabeth and Bandit Queen, earning recognition as one of the first Indian filmmakers to build a successful career in Hollywood while continuing to be celebrated back home.
Speaking about playing the lead role in The Odyssey
Matt Damon takes on the role of Odysseus, the legendary Greek hero and King of Ithaca, in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey. The film follows Odysseus’ arduous ten-year journey home after the Trojan War, as he battles mythical creatures, survives impossible odds and fights to reunite with his family.
Reflecting on stepping into the role, Matt said the experience was unlike anything he had done before. He also praised Nolan’s practical approach to filmmaking and the dedication of the cast and crew who came together from across the world to bring the ambitious project to life. “He’s such a fascinating, complex character, but to do it at this scale, in this way, with with Chris, you know, everything practical, everything in camera, it felt like my one chance to make a David Lean movie, and I and I’d always wanted to do that, and and I felt I felt such gratitude from the moment he called me. I knew what this was,” he said in Mumbai.
He continued by explaining the enormous effort that went into making the film. “I mean, I had a sense of what this was going going to entail, and it required so much work from so many 1000s of people. But you knew you were among kindred spirits. Every single person there wanted to be there and nowhere else,” the actor added.
Matt also spoke about working with crews across different countries, saying every team brought exceptional talent and commitment. He explained, “And we we collected crew members in every country we went to, and you know, and you knew you were working with the elite from that country who were who were coming on board for that section to kind of take on that set piece, and then you’d move on and and and you’d pick up, you know, new members, and you know, in in in Greece, in Italy, in Iceland, in Morocco.”
Summing up the experience, the actor said the role demanded everything he had learned over the course of his career. “It was just the most exceptional group of people who were all there for the same reason. It took every kind of tool in the toolkit that I’ve been evolving and refining for my life to to meet this moment, and and I got to meet it with the most extraordinary group of people,” he concluded.
About The Odyssey
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is an epic fantasy adventure inspired by Homer’s timeless Greek poem. The film follows King Odysseus (Matt Damon) as he fights his way through monsters, mythical creatures and countless dangers during his decade-long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. At its heart, however, the story is also about his enduring love for his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), who waits for him against all odds.
Tom Holland stars as Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, while the film boasts a star-studded cast including Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron and Samantha Morton.
The Odyssey is set to release in theatres worldwide on July 17, 2026. It will be screened in multiple formats, including IMAX 2D and 4DX. In India, the film has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification without any cuts, although it has been awarded an ‘A’ (Adults Only) certificate.