Matt Damon, Casey Affleck back in Boston to film ‘The Instigators’

Matt Damon and Casey Affleck returned to both Boston and Quincy to continue work on their upcoming Apple Original Films movie.

Matt Damon greets Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at City Hall, where the actor filmed scenes for the upcoming movie "The Instigators." John Wilcox/City of Boston

By Kevin Slane

December 14, 2023

Matt Damon and Casey Affleck were back in their old stomping grounds this week, filming scenes in Boston and Quincy for their upcoming movie “The Instigators.”

Affleck and Damon returned to Wollaston Beach in Quincy on Tuesday, where the pair previously filmed scenes for the Apple Original Films project back in May. The duo were wearing the same attire as they were when they filmed scenes in Boston back in March and early April, with Damon in a dark sweater and Affleck in a green Dartmouth sweatshirt.

Later on Tuesday, Damon and Affleck headed to Boston City Hall, where they donned Boston firefighter uniforms for filming. Police cruiser lights bathed the scene in a flashing blue light, with emergency vehicles of all shapes and sizes parked in front of City Hall’s main entrance for the evening shoot.

“There’s nowhere I’d rather work than in Boston,” Affleck told 7News Boston after filming wrapped for the night. “I love it.”

“I know half the crew, I just love being home,” he continued. “I’m sure glad they’ve made the tax credit permanent and movies are gonna keep coming here.”

A movie set took over Boston City Hall Tuesday as Matt Damon and Casey Affleck were back in town shooting scenes for their film “The Instigators.” @RobWayTV has more: https://t.co/JACEupbfXW pic.twitter.com/gCe5rRxmka
— 7News Boston WHDH (@7News) December 13, 2023

Damon took a break from filming to greet Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who shared a photo of the pair shaking hands on Instagram.

“Welcoming our newest BFD recruit to City Hall,” Wu wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michelle Wu (@wutrain)

Directed by Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity”), “The Instigators” will follow “two thieves who must go on the run with the help of one of their therapists after a robbery goes awry,” according to a studio synopsis.

The movie is being written by Chuck MacLean, who last worked with Damon on the Boston-set TV series “City On A Hill,” which was canceled by Showtime in October 2022 after three seasons.

Along with Damon and Affleck, “The Instigators” stars Paul Walter Hauser (“Black Bird”), Hong Chau (“The Menu”), Ving Rhames (“Mission: Impossible”), Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”), Alfred Molina (“Spider-Man 2”), Michael Stuhlbarg (“A Serious Man”), and rapper Jack Harlow.