Christopher Nolan’s Upcoming Movie Locks Release Date, Matt Damon Considered for Leading Role

Following the enormous critical and financial success of their first joint endeavour, Oppenheimer (2023), Christopher Nolan and Universal Pictures will continue to collaborate on Nolan’s next film. Matt Damon, who previously collaborated with Nolan on Oppenheimer and Interstellar (2014), is in talks to be the leading man in the cast of the untitled project, which is scheduled for release in the summer of 2026.

Matt Damon in talks to lead Christopher Nolan’s next Universal movie for Summer 2026 release

The next motion picture from Academy Award-winning director Christopher Nolan, which is scheduled for release in theatres, including IMAX, on July 17, 2026, finds him staying with Universal Pictures. Matt Damon, who won critical acclaim for his depiction of Gen. Leslie Groves in Oppenheimer, is being considered to play the lead role in the film.

As has been customary with Nolan’s films, specifics regarding the storyline of his upcoming endeavour are tightly guarded. In addition to directing, Nolan will collaborate with Emma Thomas through his production business, Syncopy Inc., to write and produce the film.

Deadline reports that production is scheduled to start in early 2025.

It is expected that Nolan would stay on staff at Universal given how significant Oppenheimer turned out to be. Despite having a $100 million production budget, the film brought in over $976 million at the box office worldwide. Following 512 reviews, it has a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and took home seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Christopher Nolan. Additionally, Robert Downey Jr. won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss, and Cillian Murphy won Best Actor for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer was also Nolan’s movie without Warners Bros. support since Memento. The well-known director broke up with his previous distributor, apparently because the studio chose to release their 2021 slate on MAX and in theatres at the same time.

Matt Damon, the star of The Departed (2006), Air (2023), and the Bourne franchise, is nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actor for The Martian (2015) and Good Will Hunting (1997). Notably, after attempting supporting parts in earlier films, this upcoming feature will mark Damon’s first leading role in a Christopher Nolan production.