Tony Gilroy

First Look at Edward Norton in THE BOURNE LEGACY; Director Tony Gilroy Talks Connection to ULTIMATUM and Character Details

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 17th, 2012 at 12:51 pm

The summer movie season is getting ready to kick off with The Avengers early next month, but a new image from one of the hotly anticipated films that will close the summer movie season has now gone online.  This new image from The Bourne Legacy gives us our first look at Edward Norton in the villain role, and writer-director Tony Gilroy recently sat down to talk about how Legacy is connected to the other films in the series, and how he’s setting the movie up as a stand-alone entry in the franchise with a wholly different lead character.

Hit the jump to check out the image and to see what awaits us come this August.

First Trailer and Poster for THE BOURNE LEGACY Starring Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, and Edward Norton

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 8th, 2012 at 9:22 am

The first trailer and poster for The Bourne Legacy have gone online.  The central message of the trailer is this: Jeremy Renner can kick the shit out of people just as well as Matt Damon. It’s clearly the same Bourne flavor, and audiences will be happy to get another great actor beating up bad guys. The editing moves so fast that it’s tough to tell how much writer-director Tony Gilroy‘s style will differ from Paul Greengrass‘ (who directed Supremacy and Ultimatum), but I’m eager to see what Gilroy has in store.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and poster.  The film also stars Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach, Oscar Isaac, Albert Finney, Joan Allen, David Strathairn, and Scott Glenn.  The Bourne Legacy opens August 3rd.

Joan Allen and Albert Finney to Return for THE BOURNE LEGACY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 26th, 2011 at 3:05 pm

While writer/director Tony Gilroy’s The Bourne Legacy may be a sort of spin-off of the franchise, the film won’t be without some familiar faces. Showblitz reports that Joan Allen and Albert Finney are currently in negotiations to reprise their roles in the new film. Jeremy Renner stars in Legacy as an operative trained in the same program that housed the first trilogy’s title character played by Matt Damon.

Allen appeared in The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum as a CIA agent attempting to capture Damon’s character, while Finney played a doctor employed by the government program in Ultimatum. New faces alongside Renner in Legacy include Rachel Weisz and Oscar Issacs, with Edward Norton still in talks to play the villain of the film. The Bourne Legacy opens August 3^rd, 2012.

Edward Norton in Talks to Play the Villain in THE BOURNE LEGACY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 12th, 2011 at 5:38 pm

Director Tony Gilroy is looking to cast a big name as the villain in The Bourne Legacy, with Variety reporting that Edward Norton is now in negotiations to take on the role. After a lengthy casting search, the powers-that-be finally settled on Jeremy Renner take on the lead role in the Matt Damon-less reboot. Gilroy wrote the script for the film, which will take place in the same universe as the first three Bourne Identity flicks, though the character of Jason Bourne will be absent (which pretty much renders the “Bourne” in the title moot, save for franchise recognition). Rachel Weisz is also onboard to star in the film. Hit the jump for more.

Rachel Weisz in Talks for THE BOURNE LEGACY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 10th, 2011 at 4:47 pm

Hot off the heels of the news that Rachel Weisz is in talks to join Sam Raimi’s Oz, The Great and Powerful comes word that the actress is also in talks to star in Tony Gilroy’s The Bourne Legacy. Legacy is a reboot of sorts for the Bourne franchise, with Jeremy Renner recently landing the lead role. In Legacy, Weisz would play “an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne.”

However, Deadline reports that scheduling conflicts may prevent the actress from joining both films. Apparently Weisz is in “deeper” talks for Bourne than she is with Oz (if there exists an infographic for the levels of “talks” actors are in, I’d very much like to see it). In Oz, Weisz would play the evil witch Theodora, who teams up with Kunis’ character to take over Oz. Raimi is set to go into production on Oz, The Great and Powerful this summer, while The Bourne Legacy is poised to start filming in September. There is a possibility that she could do both films, but nothing’s certain at the moment.

Jeremy Renner Set to Topline THE BOURNE LEGACY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 21st, 2011 at 6:31 pm

Well, it looks like the search is finally over. Universal Pictures has officially offered Jeremy Renner the lead role in Tony Gilroy’s The Bourne Legacy. Deadline confirms what Latino Review reported earlier this month: that Renner will be taking over the franchise that kicked Matt Damon’s career into high-gear. Written and directed by Gilrory, the film will apparently take place in the same universe as Paul Greengrass and Doug Liman’s previous films, but won’t feature Damon’s Jason Bourne character (a fact that doesn’t seem to hinder Universal from strapping the Bourne name on the film). Legacy will further explore the Treadstone and Blackbriar mythos that permeated throughout the previous films, possibly exploring other similar agents and groups.

Universal cast a very wide net in searching for their Legacy star, with basically every fairly well-known male actor between the ages of 18-40 meeting for the role (names included Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, Josh Hartnett, etc.). Hit the jump for more.

Joel Edgerton May Star in THE BOURNE LEGACY or SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 21st, 2011 at 2:14 pm

Rising star Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom) may be close to landing a major role in a high-profile project.  Vulture is reporting that The Bourne Legacy writer-director Tony Gilroy wants Edgerton as the new Bourne, but that Universal wants the actor for the male lead in Snow White and the Huntsman.  The major issue regarding Edgerton and Bourne is that Universal doesn’t feel he has enough name recognition to carry the franchise, and the studio prefers either James McAvoy or Shia LaBeouf for the role.  However, Universal also believes that Edgerton would be a good fit for Huntsman since co-stars Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron would make up for Edgerton’s current lack of star power.  If I had to guess which film will get Edgerton, I’d bet on Snow White since I don’t think Universal is going to chance the Bourne franchise on a lead who’s mostly unknown to audiences outside his native Australia.

Edgerton will next be seen in the sports drama Warrior opposite Tom Hardy and the horror prequel The Thing with Mary Elizabeth Winstead.  I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen of the actor so far and I’m glad that he’s being considered for leading roles in tentpole movies.  The Bourne Legacy is currently set for August 3, 2012 while Snow White and the Huntsman is slated for December 21, 2012.

Joel Edgerton, Dominic Cooper, Garrett Hedlund, and Luke Evans Testing for Lead in THE BOURNE LEGACY

by Jason Barr    Posted: March 24th, 2011 at 3:28 pm

With Universal’s The Bourne Legacy staring down the barrel of an August 3, 2012 release, the studio is finally bringing some tangible casting work to the forefront.  Per Deadline, four actors are currently scheduled to screen test for the film’s male lead at the beginning of April: Joel Edgerton (forthcoming remake of The Thing), Dominic Cooper (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy), and Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans).

While the report is quick to mention that the actor eventually cast for the role may fall outside of the four listed here (for example, both Shia LaBeouf and Taylor Kitsch are believed to be in the mix, although neither is expected to test for the role at this time), this news at least gives fans of the franchise an idea of how Universal is approaching writer/director Tony Gilroy’s spin-off installment. It is believed that the studio sees the Bourne franchise itself as being more important to the film’s overall success than a huge name lead to place at the top of its marketing materials. With this in mind, and with production set to get underway later this year, I expect this story to be the tip of the casting iceberg surrounding The Bourne Legacy.

Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, Kellan Lutz Meet With Tony Gilroy for THE BOURNE LEGACY – Updated

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 24th, 2011 at 7:41 pm

It was about a year ago that Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass moved on from the Bourne franchise, but Universal isn’t ready to part ways with the lucrative franchise.  The studio hired Tony Gilroy, a man with writing credits on the first three Bourne scripts, to write and direct a titled The Bourne Legacy.  Though the title is borrowed from one of the books in the Bourne series, The Bourne Legacy is a standalone project – wholly original story which does not feature the character Jason Bourne.

In the absence of Damon, Universal needs a strapping young man to put on the posters.  The studio has begun the search for the actor to play a new assassin character with a “similar background” to Bourne.  Gilroy has reportedly met with Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, and Kellan Lutz about assuming the mantle.

[Update: Joel Edgerton, Josh Hartnett, Paul Dano, Michael Pitt, Oscar Isaac, Michael Fassbender, Luke Evans, Alex Pettyfer, and Benjamin Walker have been added to the list of contenders.  Details after the break.]

Confirmed: Matt Damon Won’t Appear in THE BOURNE LEGACY; Set for August 2012 Release

by Jeff Ames    Posted: October 19th, 2010 at 10:24 pm

The Jason Bourne saga has become an intriguing story both on and off the screen these days. Recently word broke that Universal has selected Tony Gilroy, who penned all three Bourne films, to direct the fourth entry in the popular spy-franchise. However, it is known that Matt Damon would not reprise his role without director Paul Greengrass, who helmed both The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum.

Deadline reports that Gilroy, whose directorial debut Michael Clayton was both a critical and box office success, has found a way to extend the franchise without Damon’s involvement. Gilroy will explore the world surrounding Jason Bourne and, presumably, dig deeper into the Treadstone and Blackbriar mythos. While the Bourne character is not expected to return, his presence will be felt throughout the film, setting up a potential return in later films. Hit the jump if you want to find more The Bourne Legacy, which is now scheduled for an August 2012 release.

Jason Bourne Won’t Be in THE BOURNE LEGACY, Which Director Tony Gilroy Calls “A Standalone Project”

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 9th, 2010 at 2:23 pm

Paul Greengrass departed the Bourne series late last year on the heels of critical and commercial success directing The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum.  Star Matt Damon is likely to bid farewell with him.  That is undeniably a major blow to the franchise.  But Universal maintained some continuity by getting  Tony Gilroy, writer of the first three Bourne features, back on board.  Gilroy was hired to write film number four (titled The Bourne Legacy) this summer, and earlier this week landed the director’s chair as well.

Gilroy felt the initial reports required clarification, and he was happy to go on the record to do so.  Hit the break for Gilroy’s take on what he calls “a standalone project,” which will apparently not feature the character Jason Bourne at all.

Tony Gilroy to Direct THE BOURNE LEGACY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 4th, 2010 at 2:11 pm

Universal is reportedly in negotiations with writer-director Tony Gilroy (Duplicity) to helm the fourth Bourne film, tentatively titled The Bourne Legacy.  Gilroy recently turned in the script that he was hired to write back in June.  Paul Greengrass chose not to return to the series back in December 2009 and franchise star Matt Damon has indicated that he’ll only return if Greengrass comes back.  Deadline reports that Universal will make the film whether Damon returns or not, which makes it sounds like the script has Jason Bourne as the star again rather than a relaunch with a new character.

Since they can’t get Greengrass back, getting Gilroy as a replacement is a solid choice since he’s written all of the Bourne movies and has shown himself as a capable director with Duplicity and Michael Clayton.  The Bourne Legacy was previously slated for a 2012 release but Deadline says that Universal hasn’t locked in a firm timetable just yet.

Matt Damon Says Liberace Biopic to Shoot Next Summer; Keeps BOURNE 4 Hopes Alive

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 6th, 2010 at 12:23 pm

Originally set to shoot this summer, Steven Sodebergh’s Liberace biopic starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon has been pushed back to summer 2011.  Filming was delayed when Soderbergh decided to go forward with the world-spanning thriller Contagion instead (which will also star Damon as well as Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Marion Cotillard).  Now, according to the Las Vegas Sun [via The Playlist], filming has been slightly delayed, but Damon says he’s still on board to play Liberace’s lover Scott Thorson and Douglas is still set to play Liberace.

But if flamboyant 60s entertainers aren’t really your thing, how would you like to have your emotions toyed with by having Damon not completely rule out a return to playing Jason Bourne?  Hit the jump for more.

Tony Gilroy Hired to Write BOURNE 4, Tentatively Titled THE BOURNE LEGACY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: June 9th, 2010 at 4:45 pm

Universal has hired Bourne trilogy screenwriter Tony Gilroy to pen a treatment for the fourth installment in the franchise.  Tentatively titled The Bourne Legacy, the film will be based on book written by Eric Lustabader in Ludlum’s series.  Gilroy wrote the screenplay for all the previous Bourne movies. Deadline reports that Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley will return to produce and that the picture is set for a 2012 release date.

The big question is whether Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass will return.  The answer to that question is probably “No.”  Damon has said that he’ll only return if Greengrass directs and Greengrass has made it clear that he has no intention of doing so.  Deadline speculates that Gilroy’s involvement (plus a potentially-ridiculous payday) could lure Damon back.  I’m leaning towards what Damon speculated could happen: that a new actor would take on the Bourne identity (no pun intended) so it would be like the James Bond films except the series would acknowledge a new actor in the role.  And not to read too much into it, but the title “The Bourne Legacy” would indicate that Bourne has bequeathed something to another person.

DUPLICITY Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: September 17th, 2009 at 7:01 am

Clive Owen is one of those actors who hasn’t found his audience yet, but has a devoted following of men and women who get him. It’s easy to see why he’s got something of a cult following: The man gives off the air of casual cool, and has what magazines refer to as “a rugged sex appeal” in a way that few modern actors possess. He looks like he could have been a day laborer at one point or another, probably did some boxing, but knows how to wrap his way around words. He’s got those penetrating eyes that suggest the sort of world-weariness that was of fashion in the 30′s and 40′s. And yet when a film of his clicks with an audience (Inside Man, Sin City), it’s usually because he’s an ensemble player. Duplicity did not find its audience, and Clive Owen still waits for the role that connects him with audiences. My Review of Duplicity after the jump.

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