‘The Last Duel’: Adam Driver Could Join Matt Damon In Ridley Scott Film, Ben Affleck Takes A Supporting Role
Adam Driveris 35 years old, and he’s already worked with filmmakers like Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, Jim Jarmusch, Terry Gilliam, and the Coen Brothers, just to name a few. And very soon, he may add SirRidley Scottto his impressive list of collaborators.
Driver is currently in early talks to join the cast ofThe Last Duel,Scott’s upcoming period piece that hasMatt Damonset to star in one of the lead roles. And while Damon was originally said to be facing off against his old palBen Affleckin this movie, it now appears that Driver will be taking the role that was seemingly intended for Affleck, while Affleck himself shifts into a supporting role instead.
Adam Driver is having a heck of a year. He’s earned rave reviews for his work in Scott Z. Burns' political thrillerThe Reportout of Sundance (that movie is hitting theaters soon) and he’s currently a favorite to win Best Actor at the Oscars for his performance in Noah Baumbach’sMarriage Story. Oh, and he also hasStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkercoming out this year, too. No big deal.
NowVarietyreports that Driver is in talks to boardThe Last Duel, a project that hisSilencedirector Martin Scorsesewas once eyeingbut one that’s now being helmed by Ridley Scott and written by Affleck, Damon, andCan You Ever Forgive Me?directorNicole Holofcener, based on Eric Jager’s novel. Here’s how Variety describes the film:
Set in 14th century France, the movie is an epic tale of betrayal and justice, told from three distinct points of view: two knights (Damon and Driver) whose bond is tested by treachery and a young woman (Killing Eve’sJodie Comer) forced to navigate the brutal and oppressive culture of the era to survive.
It’s a bit more fraught than that vague description indicates: Damon, and now Driver, play a knight and a squire who are best friends. When one goes off to war, he returns and accuses the other of raping his wife. No one believes the wife, so the husband appeals to the king, who decrees that the two men should fight to the death. Unfortunately, if the husband loses, the wife will be burned at the stake for her “false accusation.”
According to Deadline’s original report, Affleck was going to play one of the leads, but now Variety throws some shade at that report, revealing that neither the studio nor reps for the actors would ever confirm that was true. Now, they say, insiders confirm that Affleck “will assume a supporting role instead due to scheduling conflicts with New Regency’sDeep Water, which he had already signed on to.” While it may have been interesting to see Affleck and Damon in lead roles again, it might be a good idea that Affleck’s stepping aside in this one, given hishistoryand this movie’s fraught subject matter.
The Last Duelhasn’t technically been given a greenlight yet, but if it receives one, filming is evidently going to begin early next year.
