The works of Robert Ludlum, when turned into movies, have grossed $945 million for Universal.  And that’s just the three Bourne movies.  The studio is adding to the Bourne legacy in 2012 with The Bourne Legacy, but Ludlum authored a couple dozen potentially profitable stories before his death in 2001.  Universal is ready to try another flavor of Ludlum, The Janson Directive.  The story centers on Paul Janson, a former government agent who takes on the job of rescuing a billionaire philanthropist.  The mission goes awry, and Janson finds himself marked for death on the wrong end of a “beyond salvage” order from the highest level of government.  Sounds a bit like Burn Notice to me, but with more of a cat-and-mouse element since Janson is being pursued by “a young agent of astonishing ability who can anticipate and counter his every move.”  Actually, given the man-against-government premise and the familiar cadence of that title, this sounds like Bourne Notice.  Not a complaining: depending on casting, that’s a solid hook for a thriller.

John Hlavin (The Shield) will adapt the screenplay.  Ben Smith and Jeffrey Weiner are producing through Captivate.  Read the synopsis for The Janson Directive after the jump.