Matt Damon: Steven Soderbergh Really Does Plan to Retire from Filmmaking

When someone retires and they still seem to posses the skill they are retiring from, many of us out there wonder--why?

If you could still do what it is you do, why would you stop? Famed Detroit Lion running back Barry Sanders might be the best example of the bunch, having retired with a few years left in the tank, and already considered to be one of the best running backs ever.

Recently I was reading some news that sort of shocked me--director Steven Soderbergh plans to retire after he works on his next couple films.

The reason the news shocked me is because Soderbergh is one of the most talented filmmakers in the industry, and easily one of my favorites. Another reason was that because the man is only 48 years old.

In an interview with the LA Times, actor Matt Damon, who is very close with the director and is currently working with him on the film "Contagion," said that: "He's retiring, he's been talking about it for years and it's getting closer. He wants to paint and he says he’s still young enough to have another career."

According to the article Soderbergh hasn't kept his ideas a secret, having told Esquire a couple years ago that he'd like to retire by the age of 51, which marks his 25th year as a filmmaker.

Damon later offered more specifics: “After this movie we’re doing, ‘Liberace’ next summer with Michael Douglas, and then he might do one more movie after that with George [Clooney], and then after that he’s retiring."

While I wish this were a trick or a prank, Damon seems to be totally serious. And while I'd miss Soderbergh as a filmmaker, the man has every right to decide if and when he wants to stop making movies.

Selfishly, I wish he would reconsider, because if you've enjoyed films since the early '90s, some of them are sure to have been Soderbergh's. In 1989 he splashed onto the scene with the independent film "sex, lies, and videotape" (which is great) and has worked on films such as "Traffic," "Erin Brokovitch," "Che," "Ocean's 11," "The Informant!" and many others.

But I can't hate on the man for pulling a Barry Sanders here--if he wants another career, he has every right to do so. No matter what happens, if he really retires or not (hey, remember when Jay-Z retired…twice?), the man will always be able to look back on his Academy Award-winning work and his impact on independent film and American cinema and be pretty pleased.

Not a bad career to leave behind.

Soderbergh Helms "Man From U.N.C.L.E."

Over the years, Steven Soderbergh has consistently impressed me with his selection of films. He has proven to be one of the most versatile directors of all-time, seamlessly directing such varied films as "Traffic," "Ocean's 11," "Erin Brockovich" and "The Informant."

Soderbergh now looks to add another film to his already lengthy and impressive resume, with Heat Vision reporting that the director is in line to direct the film adaptation of classic 60's NBC TV series "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." for Warner Bros. Pictures.

U.N.C.L.E. aired on NBC from 1964-68, during a Cold War period that saw numerous spy shows hit the airwaves. James Bond author Ian Fleming was a creator of the show, which focused on the adventures of American and Russian members of a secret agency called the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.

Robert Vaughn and David McCallum starred in the original spy drama as two agents from U.N.C.L.E. who fought the forces of Technological Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity (T.H.R.U.S.H.).

David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers") was most recently attached to direct and while that's no longer the case, Dobkin will remain onboard as producer alongside John Davis and Jeff Kleeman.

Scott Z. Burns, who wrote the Soderbergh films "The Informant" and the upcoming "Contagion," will likely join to do a rewrite of Max Borenstein's latest script draft.

Soderbergh has kept himself busy lately with projects, including "Haywire," his first foray into action territory, with Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor and Michael Douglas, and is currently shooting "Contagion," a thriller with another all-star cast, this one featuring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Kate Winslett.

Obviously, only time will tell on what tone or style Soderbergh will take on the film, but he could go either way, making things a bit more comical and light, or more serious and realistic. Either way, I'm excited for this project mainly because of the director. I think "Traffic" is one of the most under appreciated films of all time, and "The Informant!" was pure genius.

The director will aim to shoot U.N.C.L.E. at the end of next year.

Four More Catch Soderbergh's "Contagion"

The more news I hear about Steven Soderbergh's new project "Contagion," the more excited I get about it.

The ensemble thriller is really starting to come together and take shape now with the additions of Demetri Martin, Jennifer Ehle, Bryan Cranston and Elliott Gould to the cast, reports The Playlist.

Soderbergh might be one of the best in the business at handling large, talented casts. Of course there is "Ocean's 11," but those films were comedies. What I think of is the 2000 film "Traffic," which was an ensemble drama and I think was one of the best films of the last decade.

Soderbergh's new film seems to be stepping into "Traffic" type territory once again, which is the reason my excitement is peaking.

Scott Z. Burns penned the script which looks at the impact a global virus outbreak has on certain characters in all sorts of different continents. The already amazing cast includes--Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, John Hawkes, Chin Han and Josie Ho.

Soderbergh will use the regular RED cameras he used on "Che" and "The Informant" to shoot film and it won't be in 3-D, which is even more great news to me. This film will absolutely be in the awards race when the time comes.

If you haven’t seen "The Informant!," please do. It's so underrated and Matt Damon's performance was amazing. Don't sleep on Soderbergh.

Filming kicks off this month in Hong Kong and Chicago.