Photo:Santiago Felipe/Getty Images; Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images; Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
BeforeMatthew Perry’s unexpecteddeathat 54, the actor had a surprising idea for a potential comeback project and had even pitched the concept to directorAdam McKay.
During their time working together on Netflix’s 2020 filmDon’t Look Up, the lateFriendsstar — who had a small role in the movie that was eventually pulled — approached McKay, 55, about an autobiographical superhero project about his life calledMattman.
“It’s about this guy,” McKay explained toThe Hollywood Reporter. “You’d recognize him. His name is Matt and he’s very famous and about 50 years old. His life is a little bit of a mess. He’s lost. Out of the blue a distant relative dies and leaves him $2 billion — and he uses [it] to become a superhero.”
Noam Galai/Getty
McKay was fascinated because he provided a glimpse into the inner workings of Perry’s mind. “Any movie idea is kind of like someone telling you their dream,” he shared. “And there’s kind of obviously a meaning behind it. And when I heard that idea, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting that that’s the idea that he wants to do.'”
Perry — who was a bigBatmanfan — wanted to play the role himself but wasn’t sure whether it should be a series or a film.
Matthew Perry is pictured at the premiere of Reelz’s ‘The Kennedys After Camelot’ at The Paley Center for Media on March 15, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.Frazer Harrison/Getty
Frazer Harrison/Getty
McKay then suggested to Perry that they “do a show that’s a fictional version of what you’ve struggled with.”
He pitched Perry to focus on “the idea that everywhere you go, people yell your catchphrases a little bit of your past, the addiction, what it’s like, because everyone views you through this lens of this cheery, bright, multicolored show. And then, meanwhile, you’re a human being who’s dealing with real addiction, real pain.”
He told Perry, “It could be an incredible show. It could be really funny. It could really affect people’s lives.”
But the actor wasn’t interested, and McKay recognized that his pitch was “not the kind of idea you push on someone. So I was like, ‘OK.'”
Matthew Perry is pictured posing at the opening night for ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ on Broadway at The Barrymore Theatre on April 25, 2017 in New York City.Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Perry died on Oct. 28 of anapparent drowning. Sources toldTMZthat first responders were called to the residence for a cardiac arrest and that no illicit drugs were found at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE on Oct. 29 thatan autopsy has been completed. The results are pending a toxicology report.
Perry waslaid to reston Friday.
source: people.com
