Matt Damon, who was last seen in ‘The Rip’ alongside Ben Affleck, recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience to promote the film. During the conversation, the actor spoke about how streaming platforms are quietly reshaping the way movies are made today. He pointed out that filmmakers now think differently about pacing and even dialogue, largely because audiences watch at home amid constant distractions.
Damon says streamers want faster hooks and constant reminders
Damon explained that the traditional structure of action films is being reworked. Earlier, filmmakers would slowly build toward a big climax. Now, according to him, streamers want excitement almost immediately.Breaking it down, Damon said, “The standard way to make an action movie that we learned was, you usually have three set pieces. One in the first act, one in the second, one in the third. You spend most of your money on that one in the third act—that’s your finale. And now they’re like, ‘Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay. And it wouldn’t be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while they’re watching.’”
The phone-screen era is shaping storytelling choices
Damon’s remarks reflect a broader anxiety in the industry. Films now compete with notifications, scrolling, and multitasking. That pressure pushes creators to make stories easier to follow, even if viewers look away for a few seconds. It alters the rhythm of scenes, the way characters speak, and how quickly the plot moves forward. For many filmmakers, storytelling becomes less about a slow build and more about holding attention minute by minute.
Ben Affleck disagrees and points to a strong exception
Ben Affleck didn’t fully agree with the idea that streaming requires a fixed formula. He pointed to Netflix’s limited series Adolescence as proof that restrained storytelling can still succeed.“But then you look at Adolescence, and it didn’t do any of that st,” Affleck said. “And it’s f**king great. And it’s dark too. It’s tragic and intense. [It’s about] this guy who finds out his kid is accused of murder. There are long shots of the back of their heads. They get in the car, nobody says anything.”For Affleck, the show’s success proves that audiences can still sit with silence and depth. Damon agreed that it worked, but hinted that such successes may be the exception rather than the rule.
