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.
Gilroy got on the phone with Hollywood Elsewhere to elaborate on the pitch. Notably, the film is snatching the title from the Eric Van Lustbader book The Bourne Legacy, but plans to leave the story within be. Gilroy explained,
“It’s a completely original screenplay. This is not a reboot or a recast or a prequel. No one’s replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter… this is a stand-alone project.”
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Interesting. But the title still prominently features the name “Bourne.” The character Jason Bourne (and by extension the work of Damon) will not be erased from the mythology of the series, but he is no longer a central character. At least not in Legacy:
“The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal. Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he’s very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I’m building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy… the world we’re making enhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne’s return [down the road].
Everything you saw in the first three films actually happened, and everyone who got into will be rewarded for paying attention. We’re going to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas. When you see what we’re going and see what we’re doing it’ll be pretty obvious… but Jason Bourne’s actvities in the first three films is the immediate trigger.”
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So apparently Bourne’s “legacy,” as it were, is a litany of plot points. I joke: this actually sounds intriguing. I’ve enjoyed a fair share of Gilroy’s scripts over the last decade, and Michael Clayton convinced me of his directing chops. He’s got his work cut out for him, trying to extend a franchise without its star. But I’m rooting for him.
I suppose the next step is casting this “whole new hero.” We know literally nothing about the character, so you’re really free to throw out any suggestion you’d like, unbound by age , gender, or race. With that in mind, anyone else feeling Zoe Saldana? (Might as well dreamcast a franchise-friendly non-white non-male with an action presence.)
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This sucks. A Bourne movie without Bourne. What’s next, The Simpsons Movie Sequel without the Simpsons? Superman movie without Superman? Thank God they made 3 good movies ’cause in my opinion those are the only ones!
This sounds awesome. And it would be cool if Damon came back years from now to do a movie with an older Bourne.
U mean like star trek?
Yes, but not just for a cameo or a minor role. He should come back as the lead.
What a shame, I´m not going to pay any money for this crap, I cannot believe it´s true, very bad news. One of my favorites movies ever and now…. BOURNE WITHOUT BOURNE… the more stupid news of the year, arggggg
chris hemsworth definately
a whole film that spends every moment referencing who jason bourne is and what he did…. without Bourne actually being in the film?
i’m interested, but it seems VERY risky. They better have some insanely awesome script to pull this off.
This can be one of two things, abysmally bad or actually something fairly unique in its own right. Come to think of I can’t really think of any spy franchise that exists in this mannerism, a continuing universe so to speak. Although I will say if all Gilroy can come up with is Bourne 2.0 or Bourne in training, his stuff is going to burn. Whoever he creates as a central protagonist has to exist on their own.
Bourne series are great, I hope this one wont be like xXx 2
james macvoy has gota be in the running or someone like that. Bit dissapointed that damon and greengrass wont be back.
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These are by far my favorite movies, and Matt Damon is one of my favorite actors. So, I was truly convinced that this would suck after Matt left, but this actually sounds pretty good. As long as Jason Bourne comes back some time soon…. with Matt Damon playing his part. Also, when he does come back, Jason Bourne and whoever this new guy is can meet. Maybe Bourne can kill the newcomer (for a logical reason of course) and continue his story if Matt Damon ever latches back on for another movie (i sure hope he does)…. I think I’ll try and keep my hopes up.
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The plots were sort of driven by the machinations of the CIA characters anyway – if the fourth movie has got further sparring between the likes of the Joan Allen character and the David Strathairn character that might ensure a really good premise. A lot of the fun of the movies was the capsule characterizations of these power players with their little turf wars. Tony Gilroy is a damn good movie writer and, since he can direct too, I’m still hoping this fourth movie will be a blast. Maybe it will be awful, who knows; at least we got three awesome action movies – given the quality of movies in the last decade that was really something.