Damon is expected to take the role of a man who realizes that humans are able to shrink themselves to battle over-consumption.
- Nov 6, 2014
AceShowbiz - Alexander Payne's social satire "Downsizing" has secured its leading man. Matt Damon will star in the small-scale sci-fi drama after quitting Legendary Pictures' epic film, "The Great Wall".
Payne, known to have written the screenplays of "Jurassic Park 3" and the Oscar-winning "Sideways", penned the "Downsizing" script with Jim Taylor. It centers on a man in the near future who realizes that he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself at a time when humans are able to shrink themselves to battle over-consumption and the depletion of earth's natural resources.
Payne reportedly had been attempting to get the movie made since 2009. In its early days, the script generated interests from Reese Witherspoon, Paul Giamatti and Sacha Baron Cohen. Witherspoon and Giamatti were slated to take the role of a financially-troubled married couple. Meanwhile, Cohen was attached to double roles, a pint-sized Spaniard and his normal-sized twin brother and business partner.
Damon is expected to take over the role from Giamatti as the husband whose wife changes her mind about shrinking herself at the last minute. Payne was not able to get the movie to move forward because of taxing pre-visualization and planning process. But Damon's involvement may be the catalyst the project needs to make it happen finally. A studio is yet to pick up the pic.
