Ben Affleck almost cast Matt Damon in The Town, but his replacement proved to be a brilliant choice. Although Affleck and Damon are known for their collaborations together, like Good Will Hunting and The Last Duel, it took a surprisingly long time for Affleck to cast his friend in one of his own movies.

Affleck’s best movies are often those that he’s directed himself, like Argo and Gone Baby Gone. The Town is no different, with Affleck starring as the leader of a group of Boston bank robbers. It’s one of the most exciting heist movies in recent memory, even though Affleck originally wanted to cast Damon in one of the supporting roles.

Ben Affleck Says That He “Couldn’t Afford” To Cast Matt Damon In The Town

Ben Affleck originally wanted Matt Damon to play the part of Jem, but this never came to pᴀss. On a 2023 episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Damon said that “He didn’t ask me to be in The Town,” although Affleck joked, “Let me tell you the truth. We couldn’t afford Matt Damon by a country mile.” (via The News)

Damon was already a huge star at the time, having spent the 2000s starring in big franchises like Ocean’s and Jason Bourne, as well as standalone hits like Martin Scorsese’s crime thriller The Departed and Clint Eastwood’s sports biopic Invictus. He was certainly a more expensive option than Jeremy Renner, who took the part of Jem instead.

The Town was a big hit even without Damon’s involvement, further solidifying Affleck’s status as a director worth watching. He would eventually cast Damon in one of his own movies, 13 years later, Air, which tells the story of Nike’s attempts to sign an unprecedented deal with Michael Jordan in 1984.

The Town Wouldn’t Be The Same Without Jeremy Renner’s Oscar-Nominated Performance

Although it would have been interesting to see what Matt Damon could bring to The Town, it’s probably for the best that Jeremy Renner got the role of Jem instead. It’s hard to imagine the heist thriller without Renner’s menacing presence as the most volatile member of the team of bank robbers.

Renner was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in The Town, which followed another Oscar-nominated role in The Hurt Locker one year earlier. He’s the clear standout in a strong ensemble cast that also includes тιтus Welliver, Jon Hamm, and Rebecca Hall. It’s possible that Damon’s presence would have been more distracting.

If Damon had been cast as Jem, it would have set up a new dynamic with Ben Affleck. The duo often play friends or allies on-screen, but The Town would have pitted them against each other in a more nuanced relationship, characterized by suspicion and betrayal. Their performances in The Last Duel suggest that this could have been a fascinating watch.

Source: The News