Matt Damon Says He’s Pushing for a ‘Rounders’ Sequel

Matt Damon in ‘Rounders’. Photo: Miramax Films.

Preview:

Matt Damon says the ‘Rounders’ team want to make a sequel to the 1998 cult classic.
He mentions having discussed it recently with co-star Edward Norton.
Rob Lowe, meanwhile, reports there’s new smoke where a St. Elmo’s Fire sequel might be.

Matt Damon will be back on our screens next week in ‘The Instigators’, a new Apple TV+ movie about two unlikely partners in a heist.

But he’s also been thinking about his movie past, and which of them he might re-visit. Turns out, the 1998 cult classic poker drama ‘Rounders’ is ever on his mind. And, if he and the rest of the team behind the movie –– especially writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman –– have their way, we could actually see one.

“Trust everyone… But always cut the cards.”

R2 hr 1 minSep 11th, 1998

What was the story of ‘Rounders’?

(L to R) Matt Damon and Edward Norton in ‘Rounders’. Photo: Miramax Films.

The original movie, which starred Damon, Edward Norton and John Malkovich, explores the underground world of high-stakes poker.

It follows two friends who need to win at high-stakes poker to quickly pay off a large debt –– and for those who don’t know their poker terminology, a rounder is a person seeking high-stakes card games.

Matt Damon on the chances of a ‘Rounders’ sequel

Matt Damon in ‘Rounders’. Photo: Miramax Films.

This is what Damon told the Rich Eisen Show about his hopes for a new movie:

“The one we’ve been talking about for years, and we’re trying to, and I just saw Edward Norton a few weeks ago, like all of us want to do it is a second ‘Rounders’ movie. So much has happened in the poker world in the last 25 years, it would be fun to catch up with those guys. They had a whole movie ready to go then, but now there’s been a whole another change in the poker world since then, so I haven’t talked to them about what it would be, but I know what they had 10 years ago was fantastic, and I’m sure they could augment and roll with the times and update it to where we are today and make something great.”

No official word yet, of course, so don’t bet on anything happening immediately, or you hopes could fold.

Rob Lowe on a potential ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’ sequel

(L to R) Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Mare Winningham and Andrew McCarthy in ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

While we’re all in a sequel state of mind, there is some news –– albeit very tentative at this point as he admits –– from Rob Lowe about a potential sequel to 1985’s ‘St. Elmo’s Fire‘.

The original film, co-written and directed by Joel Schumacher, also starred Emilio Estevez, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Andie MacDowell and Mare Winningham in the story of recent graduates from Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown University and how they adjusted to adulthood.

It was one of the classic “Brat Pack” films, and while there have been attempts by Sony in the past to re-visit the story on TV, interest has spiked with the release of McCarthy’s Hulu documentary ‘Brats’ about the titular pack. Sony has reportedly been more actively developing a cinematic return for the characters.

“The passion burns deep.”

R1 hr 50 minJun 28th, 1985

Here’s what Lowe told Entertainment Tonight in an interview:

“We’ve met with the studio, and I have been talking about doing it for about four months. “But it’s very, very, very, very, very early stages. So we will see.”

So, yes… there is development, but don’t break out the suit jackets, knit sweaters and saxophone just yet.

(L to R) Andrew McCarthy, Mare Winningham, Rob Lowe, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Demi Moore and Emilio Estevez in ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.