"It's still an incredibly insecure profession," says Damon, who chalks up his current run to persistence, luck and, in counterpoint to Affleck, steering clear of the glossies. "If you end up on the cover of Us magazine, you're fucked," he says. He attributes Affleck's post-Gigli woes to roles that "in hindsight weren't good choices," and overexposure. "Monday, here's so and so buying a cup of coffee ... . Tuesday, here he is again at the bookstore ... . By the time it gets to Friday, no one is going to see your movie. There's no mystery about you."
However, Damon stands by Affleck throughout our conversation; his loyalty is both genuine and heartfelt. Though the two plan to collaborate in future, they're not currently writing a script. Instead, Damon's next move remains uncertain. His name is already tied to two films awaiting release and another two in development. Of his most recent work, he seems to hold a special fondness for director Robert De Niro and The Good Shepherd (despite joining the film as a last-minute replacement for Leonardo DiCaprio) and has discussed starring in two additional films to make a proposed triptych chronicling the history of the CIA. More immediate is an anticipated third collaboration with Greengrass, Imperial Life in the Emerald City, based on the Washington Post's former Baghdad bureau chief, Rajiv Chandrasekaran's take on the Iraqi green zone. Damon and Greengrass are currently working through scheduling conflicts to meet a proposed production start later this year.
However, he remains on the fence about a possible fourth Bourne film, and, with it, the future of the franchise. He knows what he wants: working at the level he's at today. "It wouldn't be the worst thing," he says, "but it's tough to sustain." He also knows what he doesn't want: "You identify your beachhead and then vow to protect it. In doing so, you start making safe choices, and I don't want to do that."
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