Forgotten Matt Damon Movie Becomes a Surprise Hit 20 Years Later

A forgotten fantasy movie starring Matt Damon is finding new life nearly 20 years after its release. The Brothers Grimm, originally released in 2005, reached Netflix’s global top 10 on November 16 and again on November 17.

The film, directed by Terry Gilliam and also starring the late Heath Ledger, imagines the famous brothers as traveling con artists in early 19th-century Europe. On their journeys, the brothers unexpectedly face a real fairy tale curse, forcing them to act bravely instead of relying on their usual fake exorcisms.

Lena Headey, Peter Stormare, Jonathan Pryce, and Monica Bellucci also appear in supporting roles. The movie was filmed in the Czech Republic and was a British-Czech co-production, according to production notes.

The story behind the movie’s creation is just as dramatic as the film itself. Ehren Kruger sold his script to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in February 2001.

When Gilliam signed on as director, he and Tony Grisoni rewrote the script, though the Writers Guild of America refused to officially credit them. MGM eventually pulled out as a distributor, but co-financed the project with Dimension Films and Summit Entertainment, with Dimension handling distribution.

Filming was notoriously troubled due to clashes between Gilliam and producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein. Gilliam said, “I’m used to riding roughshod over studio executives, but the Weinsteins rode roughshod over me.” The tensions led to a nearly two-week shutdown during production. Matt Damon described the situation, saying, “I’ve never been in a situation like that. Terry was spitting rage at the system, at the Weinsteins. You can’t try and impose big compromises on a visionary director like him. If you try to force him to do what you want creatively, he’ll go nuclear.”

Cinematographer Nicola Pecorini was fired after six weeks and replaced by Newton Thomas Sigel, adding to the chaos on set.

Despite the difficulties, the movie was released on August 26, 2005. It received mixed reviews and earned $105.3 million worldwide. Gilliam later reflected on the experience, admitting, “[I]t’s not the film they wanted and it’s not quite the film I wanted. It’s the film that is a result of […] two groups of people, who aren’t working well together.”

Even with all the behind-the-scenes drama, audiences today are rediscovering The Brothers Grimm. Its rise on Netflix proves that sometimes films can find a second life years after their initial release.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!