George Clooney plays epic prank on Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Matt Damon gets stuck in the crossfire.

There’s a prank war going on in Hollywood.

It’s George Clooney Vs. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. Matt Damon’s ego is basically collateral damage.

It’s epic. It’s bitter. It’s so extensive you wonder when any of these people have time to act in movies and appear on your telly-boxes.

But first, some exposition.

George Clooney is an accomplished, respected screen legend with two Oscars in his trophy cabinet. At 52 years of age, he’s one of the most lusted-over celebrities on the planet. And obviously the patron saint of salt-and-pepper grey hair.

He’s also Hollywood’s #1 Prankster. Famous buddy Matt Damon has a long history of being his #1 target.

When Damon and Clooney were filming their latest film Monuments Men together, Clooney meticulously pranked his co-star by getting a tailor to bring Damon’s trousers in by a millimetre every day, causing him to think he was putting on weight.

Hilarious, obviously. But that was before two of the funniest women on the planet got involved.

Back in January, in the slightly grubbier realm of television comedy, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took to the stage for their Golden Globes hosting gig. They were mercilessly funny in their opening monologue and made fun of many celebrities. But their greatest one-liners on the night were about Clooney and Damon.

To refresh your memory…

This is what Fey and Poehler said about George Clooney and his film Gravity at the 2014 Golden Globes.

This is what they said about Matt Damon.

 And here’s the very moment George Clooney declared prank war on Amy Poehler.

Fast-forward to this week, when poor sweet Matt Damon explains exactly what happened next to an incredulous David Letterman.

You’d better watch it for yourself:

If you can’t watch the video, this is how the prank-a-thon unravelled.

George Clooney explains: “I sent her [Tina Fey] a letter saying, Dear Tina, listen, it’s from Matt, and it just says, ‘Look, it sounds hypocritical because I laughed at the jokes about George and Leo, but you know, that’s sort of what people think about them. But when you called me a garbage man, it just seemed like low hanging fruit, it just seemed like an easy joke,” Clooney said. “And you know, I don’t want an apology, I don’t want anything else, I just want you to know that my kid now calls me the garbage man.’”

Fey and Poehler responded with the fruit baskets and a letter that read:

“‘If your note is part of some George Clooney prank, as I very strongly suspect it is, you A-list amateurs are going to have to step it the fuck up. We are not some easily confused starlets here. We are grown-ass, professional comedians. Please accept this fruit as a token of our sincerity. Best wishes, Elizabeth Tina Fey, Amy ‘Boston’ Poehler.”

Gorge Clooney has promised this prank is “just an appetiser” and the next one will be “downright dirty”.

We cannot wait.