Ken Jennings and Matt Damon Join Forces on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

The new season kicks off July 23 on ABC at 8 PM EST

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings is bringing his quizzing skills to another game show… as a contestant! The trivia whiz will team up with actor Matt Damon on the upcoming season of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.

In a teaser for the program’s new episodes, Jennings and Damon are shown joking with host Jimmy Kimmel as they compete to raise money for their chosen charities. Season 4 of the celeb-focused Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? premieres July 23 on ABC at 8 PM EST; fans can stream it on Hulu, too.

In one of the most exciting celebrity game show collaborations of the year, Jeopardy! legend Ken Jennings and Oscar-winning actor Matt Damon are teaming up for a special celebrity edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? This surprise duo has already captured the attention of fans across television and film, and their upcoming appearance on the long-running trivia game show promises to be both entertaining and meaningful. Scheduled to premiere on July 23, 2025, on ABC and streamable on Hulu, the episode is part of a new celebrity season in which famous pairs join forces to compete for charitable causes.

Ken Jennings, best known for his record-breaking 74-game winning streak on Jeopardy! and his current role as the show’s full-time host, brings an unparalleled depth of trivia knowledge to the table. Matt Damon, though better known for his film career — including starring roles in Good Will Hunting, The Bourne Identity, and The Martian — is no stranger to intellectual storytelling and complex characters. Fans were quick to recall Damon’s role as a math genius in Good Will Hunting, prompting Jennings to jokingly call him “one of my generation’s great math prodigies” in a recent social media post.

While it may seem like an unlikely pairing at first glance, the combination of Jennings’ deep trivia expertise and Damon’s quick thinking and broad cultural knowledge could prove to be a formidable one. The duo will be playing not for personal gain, but for charity — continuing the tradition of Millionaire’s celebrity editions, which have raised millions of dollars for worthy causes over the years. Although the specific charity they are supporting has yet to be officially announced, both Jennings and Damon have long histories of philanthropic involvement. Damon, in particular, has been a strong advocate for global water access through his Water.org foundation.

This isn’t Jennings’ first appearance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Over the years, he has participated in various roles, including as a contestant and as an expert lifeline. His previous stint on the show in 2014 saw him walk away with $100,000 during a special Guinness World Records week. But this time, with a celebrity teammate and a national TV audience behind them, the stakes feel even higher — and the entertainment value even greater.

ABC’s decision to pair up such high-profile figures underscores the network’s aim to revitalize the Millionaire brand for a new generation. This season also includes other celebrity duos, such as Kal Penn and Jameela Jamil, Adam Devine and Anders Holm, and more. Each team is chosen not only for star power but also for their chemistry and potential to win big for charity.

In a media landscape increasingly shaped by streaming and short-form content, this kind of event television still holds unique power. Audiences love a good trivia challenge, especially when it’s backed by familiar faces they admire. The Jennings-Damon team-up is not only a convergence of two pop culture icons but also a celebration of knowledge, wit, and good will. As anticipation builds for the July premiere, fans of both stars — and of game shows in general — are eager to see how far this brilliant duo can go on the hot seat.

In a time when television often feels fragmented, this kind of wholesome, smart, and collaborative entertainment reminds us why we fell in love with quiz shows in the first place.