Matt Damon has revealed he turned down the lead role in Marvel's 2003 film "Daredevil", a decision that ultimately spared him from a project widely regarded as a career misstep. Damon, a lifelong Daredevil comic fan alongside childhood friend Ben Affleck, said he "chickened out" because he was unfamiliar with the director's work and had no way of judging whether the film would succeed. Affleck took the role instead, and while the film was commercially successful, it received mixed reviews and became a source of lasting regret for him.

Speaking to Variety, Damon explained his caution stemmed from concerns about the film's modest marketing budget and untested director, echoing similar reservations that later shaped his approach to the Bourne franchise. Affleck later told Playboy that Daredevil was his one true career regret, saying "it just kills me" that the beloved character's story "got fucked up". This disappointment reportedly motivated Affleck's later decision to play Batman in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". Damon has not entirely ruled out playing Daredevil himself, saying he would take the role if Christopher Nolan were directing.