The Oscars' The Last Duel Joke Proves The Movie Deserved Better

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Amidst the memorable Oscar wins and shocking moments of the 2022 Academy Awards, there was one joke involving The Last Duel that didn't quite land, but shouldn't be forgotten. Set in France in the 14th century, The Last Duel depicts the events of a legal battle between two knights (played by Matt Damon and Adam Driver) over the accusation that one of them raped the others' wife (Jodie Comer). The script was written by Damon and co-star Ben Affleck (who together previously won Academy Awards for collaborating on the screenplay for Good Will Hunting) with Nicole Holofcener (an Oscar-nominee for the screenplay for Can You Ever Forgive Me?) and presents three different tellings of the true story, which culminates in a trial by combat to the death. It was the first of Scott's 2021 releases, ahead of the barely nominated House of Gucci.

Unfortunately, that release, in October 2021, was still at the height of the pandemic. While franchise blockbusters such as the James Bond flick No Time to Die and the sequel Venom: Let There Be Carnage did decently well around the same time, the R-rated The Last Duel targeted an older audience that generally hadn't gone back to theaters yet. The Last Duel bombed at the box office, grossing less than half of its expected opening-weekend earnings and giving Scott his worst debut ever. A little over a month later, it was available to watch at home, via digital VOD platforms. By the time the 2022 Oscar nominations were being considered, The Last Duel was easily accessible to stream on HBO Max, and Disney also likely made sure screeners were available to Academy members. However, none of this led to nominations. Instead, The Last Duel became a punchline.

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