Matt Damon Says He Passed on 'Daredevil' Before Ben Affleck

Damon turned down the offer to play the superhero.

ByABC News
August 1, 2016, 12:40 PM

— -- "Daredevil" is easily a movie Ben Affleck would rather forget he made.

The 43-year-old star may have worked with his future wife Jennifer Garner on the film, but critics panned the movie and Rotten Tomatoes gave it a dismal 44 percent rating.

But Affleck's best friend Matt Damon says he was actually offered the film before Affleck, though his "Good Will Hunting" co-star claims Damon is bitter he didn't get the role.

"I passed on 'Daredevil,' to be fair," Damon told Peter Travers. "He's got a whole story."

Travers joked that Affleck said Damon was "clawing" to do this film, since the duo were big fans of the "Man Without Fear" growing up.

"That was our guy ... that was our favorite superhero," Damon said. "I didn't love the script and I didn't know the director ... So, I just tried to divorce my emotion from [it]. Ben is more of an emotional guy, he was like, 'Daredevil!' He just went and did it."

In 2015, Damon told the Daily News, "The movie ended up doing very well, even though I don’t think Ben was ultimately very proud of it."

The movie ended up grossing $179 million at the box office.

Affleck shared similar sentiments when talking to Playboy, telling the magazine that "it just kills me" that the movie and storyline didn't work out.

The Marvel character, now played by Charlie Cox, has seen new life and acclaim on Netflix.

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