Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in First ‘The Instigators’ Images

(L to R) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

Preview:

Matt Damon and Casey Affleck are thieves in the first images from ‘The Instigators’.
Doug Liam directed the crime thriller.
The movie will land on Apple TV+ on August 9th.

We might most famously think of ‘Good Will Hunting’ in terms of Matt Damon and Casey Affleck sharing the screen (then alongside the latter’s brother Ben), but they were also both in ‘Oppenheimer’ last year.

But later in 2024, we’ll see them in meatier roles for a new crime thriller called ‘The Instigators’, in which they play two thieves pulling off a desperate robbery.

Apple TV+ was quick to snap this one up and has the first images from the movie online.

Rory and Cobby are unlikely partners thrown together for a heist. But when it goes awry, they team up to outrun police, backward bureaucrats, and a vengeful crime… Read the Plot

What’s the story of ‘The Instigators’?

Rory (Damon) and Cobby (Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to pull off a robbery of the ill-gained earnings of a corrupt politician. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos, pursued not only by police, but also backwards bureaucrats and vengeful crime bosses.

Completely out of their depth, they convince Rory’s therapist (Hong Chau) to join their riotous getaway through the city, where they must put aside their differences and work together to evade capture –– or worse.

Who is making ‘The Instigators’?

(L to R) Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

Affleck co-wrote the script with Chuck MacLean, and Doug Liman is in the director’s chair.

Here’s what Affleck told Entertainment Weekly about his inspirations:

“The inspiration for this was definitely ‘Midnight Run’ and ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’. I’ve always wanted to do a buddy action comedy.”

And for Damon, this was a chance to reunite with his ‘Bourne Identity’ director. This is what he said:

“I absolutely love working with Doug. I can’t believe it took us 20 years to find something else to do together. Doug is one of the most creatively tenacious people I’ve ever met. He just won’t stop until the movie is as good as it can be, and that is the best possible thing you can feel from a director. I trust him completely.”

Who else is in ‘The Instigators’?

The movie also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Paul Walter Hauser, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, Toby Jones, Jack Harlow and Ron Perlman.

Here’s Affleck on how some of the cast fit in:

“‘The Instigators’ is about two strangers who are hired for a heist. They become frenemies and then become friends while Jack Harlow yells at us, Paul Walter Hauser insults us, Ving Rhames hunts us, and Hong Chau keeps us alive.”

When will ‘The Instigators’ land on Apple TV+

Apple TV+ will start streaming the new movie on August 9th. Hopefully Liman is already aware it’ll be going directly there; we don’t need another ‘Road House’ protest.