Matt Damon is reportedly in talks to star in Christopher Nolan’s new picture for Universal, scheduled for release in the summer of 2026. It would be the third collaboration for the two men. Damon had appeared in the role of General Leslie Groves in Oppenheimer, which Nolan had made for Universal in 2023. The actor also had a small role in Interstellar, another Nolan film from 2013. The upcoming film is yet to be titled, and Universal is releasing no other details about casting or plot.

According to Deadline, which broke the story, the upcoming film is slated for theatrical and IMAX release on July 17, 2026. Nolan will also serve as scriptwriter and producer for the new movie via his Syncopy production entity, which he runs with his wife Emma Thomas.

The Universal deal seemed a natural, given the massive critical and commercial success of Oppenheimer. With a production budget of $100, it made $976 million worldwide and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Cilian Murphy also won an Oscar for his supporting role as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss. Oppenheimer set a record as Universal’s third most profitable film, behind the two Batman productions, The Dark Night Rises and The Dark Night, both of which were billion-dollar winners.

Matt Damon is known for his starring roles in The Departed and Air, and garnered Oscar nominations for his performances in The Martian and Good Will Hunting. The upcoming film will mark the first time he has appeared in a leading role in a Christopher Nolan production.

Writing in The Hollywood Reporter this week, Aaron Couch and Borys Kit noted that “Nolan remains the rare filmmaker whose name alone can inspire both audiences to head to theaters, and inspire in-demand actors to join a set with fewer perks (no assistants, no entourages) all for a chance to work with the premier filmmaker.”

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