“I tried to fly and I fell”: Matt Damon Maybe Too Old to Play a Superhero, But James Gunn Can Make His Dream Come True as a Superman Villain

Oscar winner Matt Damon, now 54, has given the industry some of the most memorable hits of recent decades. The Cambridge native has shown off an exemplary range of acting with his roles in movies such as Goodwill Hunting, Interstellar, and the Bourne franchise.

While he has undoubtedly had a Hollywood career better than most, there is one area that he has yet to foray into: the superhero genre. This rings even more severe when considering the fact that Damon, as a kid, always wanted to play a superhero.

The actor even sacrificed an ankle for his dream, and while it may be too late to portray a Marvel or DC superhero, another interesting opportunity may as well present itself, in the near future. Damon may be the perfect candidate for a compelling Batman villain, in the form of Thomas Elliot, a.k.a. Hush.

Matt Damon once broke his ankle when trying to fly like Superman

Matt Damon in The Martian (2015) | Credits: 20th Century Fox

Growing up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Matt Damon’s superhero aspirations were clear from an early age. He fondly recalls donning makeshift capes, often fashioned from towels, to embody characters like Superman and Shazam. A childhood mishap, where he broke his ankle attempting to “fly,” cemented his admiration for superheroes but also hinted at his deep focus on imitation—a skill that has defined his acting career.

Speaking to The Guardian, he once revealed:

That was how I broke my ankle. When I was three, I climbed to the top of the jungle gym in my Shazam cape and I shouted ‘Shazam!’ And I tried to fly and I fell.

And while his ankle-breaking may be down to his love for superheroes, even in the pain, he was still thinking like an actor. Seeing his father run across the field to his aid like ‘an athlete,’ imitating his dad was what came next:

I remember afterwards, when I healed, months later, trying to jog [like him]. So I would jog pumping my fists to the ground. I was trying to ape the movement, but I wasn’t quite pulling it off.

Needless to say, Damon had his fair share of childhood dreams, and it might just be James Gunn, who ends up fulfilling it. Well, almost!

Matt Damon might be perfect to embody Hush

Enter Hush, enter Damon! | DC Comics

Hush, created by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, made his first comic appearance in Batman #609 (2003). Born Thomas Elliot, Hush was a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne who harbored deep-seated jealousy. Elliot’s hatred stems from his resentment of Wayne’s inherited fortune and the tragic death of Bruce’s parents, a loss that contrasts sharply with Elliot’s failed attempt to kill his own parents for financial gain.

The character’s complexity and dark psychology make him one of Batman’s most chilling adversaries. He doesn’t rely solely on brute force; instead, his wealth, surgical skills, and manipulative genius enable him to orchestrate elaborate plans to dismantle Bruce Wayne’s life. This cerebral yet menacing villain is a role perfectly tailored to Damon’s strengths as an actor.

A still from The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) | Credits: Universal Pictures

Hush has a history of teaming up with villains such as the Riddler and Poison Ivy, two characters who may as well be a part of the DCU, going forward. Regardless, the mere idea of Damon masquerading with his face wrapped up in bandages, and the grotesque imagery and storylines attached to the character, means that the industry might not have a better actor for this role, than Damon.

Regardless, this remains a mere idea, and the DCU currently does not even have clarity on who the franchise’s Batman will be. While Robert Pattinson is only part of the Elseworlds narrative, at least for the time being, Damon may have to wait for his chance, once again.