Jason Bateman revealed that Matt Damon was extremely interested in a potential film adaptation of the cult sitcom Arrested Development and even pitched himself for a cameo.
The Emmy-winning actor-director said Damon came up to him at an awards show and put forward his name for the film.
“I remember Matt Damon coming up to me at – I think it was like a Golden Globes or something – and I was so excited to meet him and, and he was a huge fan of Arrested Development,” he said on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast. “And he was saying, ‘You know, I really think I could play, because I hear you guys are doing the movie, I think I could…can I play you?’”
Mitchell Hurwitz’s satirical sitcom, which ran for five seasons from 2003 to 2019, followed the formerly wealthy, now dysfunctional Bluth family who would not change the way they lived despite having fallen on hard times. Bateman played Michael Bluth, a level-headed single father seeking to keep the family together after the arrest of his corrupt father, George Bluth Sr, played by Jeffrey Tambor.
The series also starred Michael Cera as Michael’s son George Michael, Jessica Walter as mother Lucille, Will Arnett as older brother George Oscar Bluth II, Alia Shawkat as cousin Mae Fünke, and Portia de Rossi as his sister.
Arrested Development was cancelled by Fox in 2006 after the third season, only to be revived by Netflix in 2013.
When O’Brien asked how Damon would play Bateman’s character, the Ozark actor said that Hurwitz “was thinking the story of the Arrested Development movie would be that in the show, Hollywood wanted to make a movie about [the Bluth family], and we certainly couldn’t play ourselves, because we’re not actors”.
Bateman said that his Michael Bluth would be “on set, watching Matt Damon play Michael Bluth, and be so excited”.
While even the potential of a film may be good news to the sitcom’s fans, Bateman doesn’t believe anyone wants it.
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“I don’t think anybody gives a s***. I think it’s done.”
Bateman received criticism in 2018 for defending Tambor after Walter recalled him verbally harassing her on set in an interview with the New York Times.
Walter was doing a group interview with Bateman, Tambor, Tony Hale, David Cross, Arnett, and Shawkat when the subject of harassment allegations against Tambor – which saw him fired from Amazon series Transparent – came up.
Instead of reassuring her, Bateman suggested Tambor’s behaviour was “common” in the entertainment industry, deeming it “a breeding ground for atypical behaviour”.
Bateman’s remarks drew a backlash, prompting him to apologise. “Based on listening to the NYT interview and hearing people’s thoughts online, I realise that I was wrong here. I’m horrified that I wasn’t more aware of how this incident affected her,” he wrote.
“I’m incredibly embarrassed and deeply sorry to have done that to Jessica. This is a big learning moment for me. I deeply, and sincerely, apologise.”
