The Last Duel is another standout collaboration between Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, but the original plans would have fulfilled a perfect on-screen dynamic between the actors. Going back to their appearance as extras in Field of Dreams, Affleck and Damon have appeared in ten movies together, becoming an iconic Hollywood duo.
While the two young actors found their big breaks together after writing and starring in Good Will Hunting, they have continued to work together as they each became huge movie stars. While The Last Duel is sadly one of their most underrated collaborations, it also had initial plans to put Affleck and Damon together in a completely new way.
The Original Casting For The Last Duel Had Ben Affleck And Matt Damon As Enemies
The Last Duel is a medieval thriller based on a true story, starring Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges, a knight who challenges Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver) to a duel after he is accused of assaulting Jean’s wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer). However, when the movie was originally coming together, it was Ben Affleck who was cast as Jacques.
Affleck and Damon co-wrote the movie with Nicole Holofcener, with the story being told three separate times, from the perspective of each of the main characters. It all leads to the brutal duel between the two knights in which only one man will live. This would have been the first time Damon and Affleck played enemies on screen.
Unfortunately, after writing the movie together and being cast in their respective roles with Ridley Scott directing, Affleck was forced to step aside from the leading role due to his commitments to Deep Water (via Variety). After Driver was cast, Affleck took on the smaller supporting role of Count Pierre d’Alençon, who oversees the feud.
Affleck And Damon Really Need To Face Off On Screen One Day
With all of the movies Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have done together, it is surprising they have never actually been enemies before. It seems like friendship is what defines their most notable collaborations together, especially with their authentic and moving portrayal as best friends in Good Will Hunting.
They have played antagonists alongside each other before, appearing in the 1990s teen drama School Ties as antisemitic boarding school students. The closest they have come as enemies is in Dogma, where the two play fallen angels who turn on each other after being friends for the majority of the movie.
The Last Duel does give a hint at what a fun dynamic this would be, as Affleck’s Count Pierre is not fond of Damon’s Jean. Given the long history these two have had and their typical on-screen friendship, seeing them even slightly at odds in this movie is great fun, though their screen time together is limited.
Though the casting worked out, it feels like a missed opportunity not to have had Damon and Affleck facing off in that brutal climactic duel. The actors will soon reunite in the crime thriller The Rip. Though it is unclear what dynamic they will share, it’s only a matter of time before we get a Damon and Affleck showdown.
