ComedyEonline

Matt Damon in DOWNSIZING
Video Courtesy: Youtube/ParamountPictures

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles recently announced that Matt Damon will be the recipient of the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film at this year’s ceremony.

“Matt Damon is undoubtedly one of the most talented and respected actors working in film today,” said BAFTA Los Angeles chairman Kieran Breen. “Having made a remarkable impact at a young age with ‘Good Will Hunting,’ he has developed a phenomenal career — combining both big-budget studio movies and acclaimed independent films. As a favorite of some of the top contemporary directors in our industry, it seems particularly fitting that we are honoring his career with an award bearing the name of the legendary Stanley Kubrick.”

It makes perfect sense for BAFTA to present Damon with a well-deserved award — the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film — at the Britannia Awards October 27 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. After all, he won an Oscar in 1997 with buddy Ben Affleck for writing “Good Will Hunting,” and was nominated for his performances in that movie as well as “Invictus” and “The Martian”.

Julianne Moore and Matt Damon in Suburbicon (Jul 25, 2017)
Image: Paramount Pictures

In the near future, it looks like Matt Damon’s next movie Charlatan, will take aim at a tale about a snake oil salesman who fakes a cure for male impotence. Based on the 2008 book Charlatan: America’s Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam by Pope Brock, Charlatan will center its story on Matt Damon’s John R. Brinkley — a doctor who achieved massive success in the early 1900s by hocking a fake cure for impotence. What was Brinkley’s remedy for this ailment? He would surgically implant goat testicles inside the bodies of willing men. Yes, it’s bizarre, so this movie should be just as interesting.

Behind the production of this new movie, Damon has teamed up with some very talented partners.  The screenplay will be adapted by the writing team of Brian Koppelman and David Levien (“Ocean’s Thirteen,” Showtime’s “Billions”). The film also marks another collaboration for Damon as a producer with Kimberly Steward, who worked together behind-the-camera on the Oscar-winning drama “Manchester by the Sea”.

With his recently release projects including:  The Martian and The Great Wall, as well as his return to the Bourne franchise with Jason Bourne, the actor has recently debuted the films “Suburbicon” and “Downsizing” at recent Venice, Toronto and Zurick film festivals and these films are currently in theatres.

The AMD Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolades, recognizing British and international talent.  Damon joins this year’s previously announced honorees Dick Van Dyke, Ava DuVernay, Claire Foy and Kenneth Branagh. The awards will be handed out October 27 at the Beverly Hilton.