Matt Damon is having a moment. After headlining Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey—a box office behemoth that has grossed over $1.7 billion worldwide—fans are diving back into his filmography. And one title is surging: Martin Scorsese's The Departed, now a top 10 most-watched movie on HBO Max in the U.S.
Damon's recent run includes standout roles in Nolan's Interstellar and the Best Picture-winning Oppenheimer. But this summer, he took the lead as Odysseus in The Odyssey, joining a star-studded cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, and Zendaya. The film has become Nolan's biggest hit ever, surpassing his Dark Knight films, and is already a frontrunner for Best Picture at the next Academy Awards.
With Damon's Best Actor buzz building, audiences are revisiting his earlier work—and The Departed is the perfect showcase. In this 2006 crime epic, Damon plays Colin Sullivan, a slick and sociopathic mole inside the Massachusetts State Police, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio's undercover cop. The cast also features Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Jack Nicholson, Vera Farmiga, and Martin Sheen.
Scorsese's remake of the Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is widely considered one of the director's finest works. Its gripping cat-and-mouse narrative and powerhouse performances have made it a enduring favorite—and its current streaming surge proves it still resonates with audiences.
For those who haven't seen it, The Departed is a masterclass in tension and moral ambiguity. Damon's portrayal of the charming yet ruthless Sullivan is a career highlight, even if the Academy overlooked him that year. It's a role that shows a different side of the actor, one that fans of his recent heroic turn in The Odyssey will find fascinating.
Beyond its critical acclaim, The Departed was a commercial success, grossing $289 million worldwide against a $90 million budget. It finished 2006 as the 14th highest-grossing film globally, proving that smart, adult-oriented thrillers can still draw big crowds.
If you're in the mood for a gripping crime drama, The Departed is now streaming on HBO Max. And for more streaming recommendations, check out our list of fall 2026's must-read thrillers or see how a tiny dinner-party thriller quietly conquered streaming.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates on what's trending in entertainment.
