Matt Damon Once Pitched to Play Michael Bluth in ‘Arrested Development’ Movie

Actor Jason Bateman shares that Matt Damon expressed interest in playing Michael Bluth in a proposed ‘Arrested Development’ movie.

In a recent episode of the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast, Jason Bateman disclosed that Matt Damon had once shown enthusiasm for playing Michael Bluth in a potential “Arrested Development” movie. Bateman recounted meeting Damon at an awards event, where Damon, a fan of the series, suggested he could portray Bateman’s character in the film adaptation.

“Arrested Development,” created by Mitchell Hurwitz, follows Michael Bluth as he manages family affairs after his father’s imprisonment, while dealing with his dysfunctional relatives. The series originally aired from 2003 to 2006 and was later revived by Netflix for two additional seasons from 2013 to 2019. At one point, there were discussions about a movie adaptation.

Bateman explained that Hurwitz envisioned the movie’s plot involving Hollywood producing a film about the Bluth family, with real actors portraying the characters. In this meta-narrative, Bateman’s Michael Bluth would observe Damon playing his role, leading to humorous situations. However, Bateman humorously noted that David Cross’s character, Tobias, would play himself, as he is an actor within the series.

When host Conan O’Brien inquired about the possibility of an “Arrested Development” film, Bateman candidly responded, “I don’t think anybody gives a shit. I think it’s done.”

The ensemble cast of “Arrested Development” includes Michael Cera, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, and Henry Winkler, with Ron Howard serving as the narrator.