The Daniels’ untitled Universal sci-fi film grows its cast

Matt Damon is set to lead an ensemble cast of young actors in the upcoming sci-fi film from Daniels – makers of Everything Everywhere All At Once. Filmmaking duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinart – who call themselves the Daniels, or just Daniels (sounds cleaner) – have been working away for some time on a ... The Daniels’ untitled Universal sci-fi film grows its cast

Matt Damon is set to lead an ensemble cast of young actors in the upcoming sci-fi film from Daniels – makers of Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Filmmaking duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinart – who call themselves the Daniels, or just Daniels (sounds cleaner) – have been working away for some time on a mystery genre project.

While that genre project is still a mystery – we don’t even have a title – the names of actors are starting to emerge from the mist. Matt Damon is the big name attached so far – he’s replacing Ryan Gosling, who bowed out earlier this year – it sounds as though he’ll be but one face among a broader ensemble.

Sean Kaufman, Sandra Oh and Charles Melton have all been attached in recent weeks. Most recently, Deadline reports that a further four names have been added: Silvia Dionicio, Jackson Kelly, Thalia Dudek and Kerrice Brooks. The latter appeared in 2024’s My Old Ass, a thoroughly charming coming-of-age comedy told with a smattering of time travel.

Described as an event film, this is the Daniels’ first film under their five-year contract with Universal; they signed it in 2022, not long after the breakout success of Everything Everywhere All At Once, so the rate they’re going, it may prove to be the only film they make under that deal.

There have been reports that Universal has set aside a hefty budget of $150m for the Daniels’ new opus – almost ten times as much as their previous film. Then again, Everything Everywhere All At Once was nominated for eleven Oscars and won seven, and made a tidy profit in cinemas to boot, so there’s a good reason to invest in the filmmakers’ particular brand of designer quirkiness.

What exactly is Universal investing in? At present, there are only rumours – including one that it’s some sort of superhero movie with an ecological angle. An adaptation of Captain Planet and The Planeteers, perhaps? Probably not, but you never know.

We’ll bring you more on the Daniels’ antics as we hear it.