It’s officially official: a Bourne stunt show is coming to Universal Studios Florida. Rumors have been swirling for over a year that a stunt show based on the Bourne franchise would be heading to Universal Studios, and Universal Orlando Resort confirmed today that The Bourne Stuntacular will indeed be taking over the space that previously housed Terminator 2: 3-D starting next year. The Terminator attraction was something of a fan favorite, combining a 3-D film with live actors and stunts, but it closed down in late 2017 to make way for this new attraction.
The Bourne Stuntacular will “blur the lines between stage and cinema in a hybrid form of entertainment that has never been seen before.” Here’s how the attraction is officially described:
The Bourne Stuntacular will follow the character of Jason Bourne around the globe as sinister characters pursue him. Everything fans have come to expect from the action-packed Bourne film franchise – thrilling chase scenes, punishing fistfights, death-defying leaps and danger at every turn – will happen right in front of guests with live performers, high-tech props and an immense LED screen, making it impossible to discern where the live action ends and the cinema begins.
Honestly this sounds quite similar to Terminator 2: 3-D, although obviously the technology will be significantly updated. It’ll be interesting to see if The Bourne Stuntacular is likewise presented in 3-D, or if some new technology will make the transition from stage to screen feel seamless. Regardless, while I'm sure this Bourne show will be neat, I still very much miss the oh-so-90s nature of the Terminator attraction.
The Bourne Stuntacular makes sense for Universal, as the franchise is reportedly key to the studio’s future plans. The TV series spinoff Treadstone premieres on the USA network tonight, and development is underway on additional films—despite the fact that the spinoff The Bourne Legacy failed to ignite when it hit theaters in 2012. Matt Damon returned to the role of Jason Bourne with director Paul Greengrass in 2016’s Jason Bourne, and while the film grossed over $400 million worldwide, creatively it was a disappointing installment after the mastery of Greengrass’ previous two Bourne films.
It’ll be interesting to see where things go from here, but clearly Universal is bullish on the property as evidenced by the addition of this new attraction. The Bourne Stuntacular is due to open in Spring 2020, marking the latest addition to the Universal Studios Florida theme park that is also home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.
Universal Orlando Resort is also expanding in a big way with the recent announcement of a fourth theme park, Epic Universe, due to open sometime in the next few years. And to tie into the unveiling of The Bourne Stuntacular, they're offering a special that allows you to get your third park free with the chance to be among the first to experience the new stunt show. Details here.