Matt Damon is one of the world’s biggest action stars. He’s super-spy Jason Bourne, he’s Dr Mann in Interstellar, and he’s Miller in Green Zone – but the less said about that the better. Today, we’re going to be rounding up Matt Damon’s top 10 highest-grossing movies. Note that we will not be including any cameo or bit-parts, so don’t expect to see Interstellar or The Zero Theorem anywhere on this list. Also note that all grosses given are domestic values, so only including America and no other territories. Let’s get into it!
#10 – The Departed (2006)
First up, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Damon himself, Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime thriller The Departed retold the story of the Hong Kong film Internal Affairs. It received much critical acclaim, even bagging Scorsese his first-ever Oscar win. The film made $132 million domestically, and on a budget of $90 million, more than made its money back. Damon’s turn in The Departed is widely considered one of his best, and with all the success it has garnered, it’s quite hard to argue.
#9 – Good Will Hunting (1997)
One of Damon’s most successful films awards-wise, Good Will Hunting stars Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, and Damon himself. It tells the story of a talented mathematician who gets advice from his professor to help guide him in life. This is the film that bagged Damon his only Oscar win so far—albeit not for acting—but was a huge success regardless of awards, making $138 million domestically.
#8 – Jason Bourne (2016)
Next on our list is the as-yet most recent entry in Damon’s Bourne franchise. After almost a decade away from the role, Damon and director Paul Greengrass returned to follow on from 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum. He’s still on the run, travelling the globe as CIA assassin Heather Lee, played by Alicia Vikander, tracks him down. A return to form for the franchise after the spin-off Bourne Legacy in 2012, Jason Bourne made $162 million domestically.
#7 – True Grit (2010)
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit starts Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, and follows a young teenager find their father’s killer. Nominated for ten Oscars, True Grit managed to make $171 million at the US box office, and with a very modest budget of $38 million, it made its money back and then some. At only number seven, this highlights just how successful Damon’s career has been.
#6 – The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
The sequel to 2002’s The Bourne Identity, in this spy thriller Jason Bourne returns as the secret agent, but is this time forced to return to his former life as a deadly assassin. This second entry in the Bourne franchise made $176 million in the US alone, helping to reinforce Damon as one of 21st century’s most successful, and profitable, action stars, and allowed the series to prosper and spawn even more action-packed sequels.
#5 – Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
The first entry in George Clooney’s casino/heist thriller, Damon stars as Linus Caldwell, a member of Ocean’s crack team. This film made $183 million at the US box office, marginally more than the other two entries in the trilogy, and spawned one of the 21st century’s most successful heist franchises. This was also one of Damon’s breakout roles that established him as not just a fine actor, but as an action hero too.
#4 – Saving Private Ryan (1998)
In Steven Spielberg’s WWII drama Damon plays the eponymous Private Ryan, a lost paratrooper that a team consisting of Tom Hanks and Vin Diesel, among others, have to rescue. Easily one of Damon’s most successful films—both at the box office and at the awards ceremonies—Saving Private Ryan won five Oscars, including Best Director and Best Cinematography, and also managed to make a massive $216 million in the United States alone.
#3 – The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
Who’s actually surprised at this? The third entry in the hugely successful Bourne franchise, this time around Damon’s Jason Bourne has to evade his past allies at the CIA whilst also trying to finally find out the truth behind his mysterious and violent past. Although not a contender for awards like Saving Private Ryan, the American public gobbled The Bourne Ultimatum up, grossing an incredible $227 million, easily one of the most successful films of the year.
#2 – The Martian (2015)
One of Damon’s most lauded dramatic performances, this adaption of Andy Weir’s sci-fi novel netted him a Golden Globe. Directed by Ridley Scott, back on form after the divisive Prometheus and The Counselor, Damon plays Mark Watney. He’s the sole survivor of a space ship crashing in the atmosphere of Mars, forced to fend by himself while waiting for aid from Earth.
An outright hit and yet more credence to Damon’s superstar status, The Martian grossed $228 million at the US box office, narrowly beating out The Bourne Ultimatum.
#1 – Oppenheimer (2023)
First on our list is the runaway box office hit of 2023, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Damon plays a key supporting role against Cillian Murphy’s eponymous nuclear physicist, as the main military presence aiding Oppenheimer in constructing the atom bomb. It’s a coarse performance as a character you’re never really supposed to warm to, but Damon shows his varied acting skills with aplomb. It won’t come as a surprise to anyone, but thanks in no small part to the phenomenon of Barbenheimer the film went gangbusters, grossing $325 million domestically.
What’s your favourite Matt Damon film? What other top 10 lists do you want to see us do? Be sure to leave a comment below!
This post first appeared on Thatfilmbloguk – A New Film Review Every Sunday, please read the originial post: here
