Summary
Matt Damon shares his hopes forRounders 2, a sequel to his 1998 poker movie. Directed by John Dahl,Roundersstars Damon as Mike McDermott, a gambling whiz who returns to the world of high-stakes poker to help his friend, Worm (Edward Norton), pay off dangerous loan sharks. The film, which also stars John Malkovich and Gretchen Mol, wasn’t a big hit at the box office, but has since become a cult classic.
During a recent appearance on theRich Eisen Showto promote his upcoming Apple TV+ movie,The Instigators, Damon is asked about the possibility of aRounders 2.
While it doesn’t sound like anything is officially in the works,Damon sees a clear opportunity to explore how the poker scene has evolved over the last two decades. A potential sequel would face rights issues, but the actor reveals that he’s spoken to original writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman about the possibility. Check out Damon’s comments below:
“The one we’ve been talking about for years, and we’re trying to, and I just saw Edward Norton a few weeks ago, like all of us want to do it is a second Rounders movie. So much has happened in the poker world in the last 25 years, it would be fun to catch up with those guys.
“They had a whole movie ready to go then, but now there’s been a whole another change in the poker world since then, so I haven’t talked to them about what it would be, but I know… what they had 10 years ago was fantastic, and I’m sure they could augment and roll with the times and update it to where we are today and make something great.”
Now Is The Perfect Time For A Rounders 2
The Original Movie’s Reputation Has Changed
Roundersmay not have been widely seen or appreciated at the time of its release, but it’s since become a beloved entry in Damon’s filmography. The movie hit theaters one year afterGood Will Huntingand the same year asSaving Private Ryan, both of which helped to further boost Damon’s career, but it only ended up grossing $22.9 million on a $12 million budget. Critics' response toRounderswas somewhat lukewarm, and it only has a 64% onRotten Tomatoes, but the audience score is much higher at 87%.
Damon and co-writer Ben Affleck won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for theirGood Will Huntingscriptin 1998.
With the film having lived on so effectively and continued to reach new audiences over the last 26 years,a sequel could potentially end up having a wider appeal. While it doesn’t seem likeRounders 2would really make sense as a theatrical venture, it’s not hard to imagine a sequel finding success on a streaming platform like Netflix or Prime Video. With Damon and Norton having both become widely recognizable actors with impressive resumes, it’s likely aRounderssequel would even draw in those who didn’t see the first one.
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What’s more, the amount of time that’s passed since the originalRounderswould give a sequel plenty of ground to explore. Not only has the game of poker and the culture surrounding it changed, butDamon and Norton’s characters' will have evolved in some major ways. It remains to be seen ifRounders 2will ever happen, but Damon evidently hasn’t given up the idea.
Rounders
Cast
Rounders, directed by John Dahl, stars Matt Damon as a reformed gambler attempting to stay clean while supporting his friend, played by Edward Norton, who has substantial debt. The film delves into the underground world of high-stakes poker and examines the balance between ambition and personal responsibility. Alongside Damon and Norton, the cast includes John Malkovich as a formidable poker adversary.
