<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=46UDaD_0wOQhZfv00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=46UDaD_0wOQhZfv00" width="1140" height="570" ><figcaption>Image via Miramax Films</figcaption></figure>Back in 1996, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were just two New England boys with a dream. Sure, the former had already appeared in titles like Mystic Pizza and The Rainmaker, while the latter will forever be linked to the classic coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused, but it was their work on 1997’s Good Will Hunting that solidified their celebrity status. Pairing up with iconic filmmaker Gus Van Sant, the duo not only starred in the feature, but also co-wrote it. Not only that, but the casting team also went the extra distance, assembling a lineup that included Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, and Stellan Skarsgård. Next month, Good Will Hunting returns to streaming when it arrives on Paramount+ on November 1.A true underdog story, Good Will Hunting centers on Damon’s Will Hunting, a young man who has been recently released from prison and who has an extraordinarily high IQ. Working as a janitor at MIT, a mathematical genius is discovered by one of the university’s professors (Skarsgård) after solving an incredibly hard-to-crack math problem. The rest of the movie follows Will’s inner struggle with his own personal demons, issues that he works through with a witty and dedicated therapist (Williams), as well as his blossoming relationship with a Harvard student (Driver) eyeing up medical school across the country.<h2>‘Good Will Hunting’ Was an Unstoppable Hit </h2>Amassing more than $225 million at the box office during its theatrical release, the sky was truly the limit for Affleck and Damon’s first foray into feature-length film writing. The movie was one of the hottest titles of the year, landing a whopping nine Academy Award nominations, with Williams taking home the trophy for Best Supporting Actor and the two best pals giving an unforgettable speech after they received the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. That’s not even to mention the way quotes from the movie have worked their way into the American vernacular, with phrases like “How ‘bout them apples?” and “I gotta go see about a girl” becoming part of our lexicon.Damon and Affleck have gone on to collaborate on a host of other projects, many with their pal Kevin Smith, who is also partially responsible for the massive success of Good Will Hunting. Most recently, the Boston bros’ production company, Artists Equity, backed the biographical sports drama Unstoppable.Soon, Paramount+ subscribers can see where it all began — or at least took off — for Damon and Affleck as Good Will Hunting arrives on the streamer on November 1.Good Will Hunting RDramaDocumentaryRelease DateDecember 5, 1997 DirectorCastRobin Williams , Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Stellan Skarsgård , Minnie Driver , Casey AffleckRuntime126 minutes Main GenreDrama WritersMatt Damon , Ben AffleckCinematographerJean-Yves Escoffier ProducerLawrence Bender Production CompanyMiramax, Be Gentlemen Limited Partnership, Lawrence Bender Productions Sfx SupervisorWilliam 'Billy Jack' Jakielaszek Get Paramount+</div></body>

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Matt Damon’s 97% Rotten Tomatoes Heartfelt Drama Finds a New Streaming Home Next Month

Back in 1996, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were just two New England boys with a dream. Sure, the former had already appeared in titles like Mystic Pizza and The Rainmaker, while the latter will forever be linked to the classic coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused, but it was their work on 1997’s Good Will Hunting that solidified their celebrity status. Pairing up with iconic filmmaker Gus Van Sant, the duo not only starred in the feature, but also co-wrote it. Not only that, but the casting team also went the extra distance, assembling a lineup that included Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, and Stellan Skarsgård. Next month, Good Will Hunting returns to streaming when it arrives on Paramount+ on November 1.