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EXCLUSIVE: This signals that the picture — tentatively titled The Bourne Legacy – is on a clear forward track. Though it doesn’t answer the question of whether Matt Damon will return to reprise his signature character of the amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne. I’m told that Universal plans to make the film even if it has to replace Damon, who’d be crazy to give up his franchise character and a huge paycheck. So the studio is making a deal with Bourne franchiser scripter Tony Gilroy ( who helmed both Michael Clayton and Duplicity) to direct the 4th installment. Gilroy was hired to write the fourquel back in June. The picture will be produced by Frank Marshall, along with Jeffrey Weiner and Ben Smith of Captivate Entertainment. Bourne had originally been earmarked for 2012, but right now a clear timetable hasn’t been locked in. The picture is a giant priority for Universal, and Donna Langley and Peter Cramer have been working hard to make it happen.
So what about Matt? Damon last indicated that he wouldn’t come back unless director Paul Greengrass helmed. Greengrass made the 2nd and 3rd installments, while Doug Liman directed the first. Greengrass exited the Bourne 4 in a huff when the studio began developing it while he and Damon were making Green Zone for the studio. Gilroy has scripted the first three pictures by deconstructing a dense Robert Ludlum spy thriller down to its essence of a man who can’t remember his past. Even though some think Gilroy misfired with Duplicity starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, his Michael Clayton was superb. Gilroy’s repped by CAA.
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Michael Clayton was excellent. Duplicity was well-made and had some brilliant moments, despite faltering in the third act. This seems like an excellent choice to make a strong franchise keep going. Damon would be a fool not to sign up.
But what does this mean for Josh Zetumer’s Bourne 4 script? Is it completely dead, or will elements be used for this one?
Tony Gilroy got this job to help get over himself.
THERE’S STILL A FLOOD IN PAKISTAN, YOU KNOW?!?!?!
Random comment I know but one thing I hate about the Bourne franchise (even though all 3 films are superb) is how the “new” Bourne movie is supposed to be the best one so far, because if all 3 had been released on the same day then hands down people would say that The Bourne Identity was the better film of the 3, it was the most exciting, thrilling, gripping and essentially the most entertaining, so with that in mind I think Doug Liman would do a better job at Directing The Bourne Legacy than Paul Greengrass would anyway, but people insist on “out with the old and in with the new” rather than just comparing the 3 outright, Matt Damons best performance was in The Bourne Identity as well, I just hope that he agrees to be in the 4th because he IS Jason Bourne and it will be hard to accept someone else playing the role.
The Bourne Legacy (the book) was written by Eric Van Lustbader in the tradition of Robert Ludlum and at the behest of Ludlum’s estate. Not that the film of that title will have anything from that novel, which is the case in many adaptations today. Which is ALL OK because Tony Gilroy has the chops and resume for this project. Sounds like a winner, especially if Matt D. is on board.
I understand Gilroy wrote this either with Damon as Bourne or someone else playing another ‘version’ of Bourne. Matt has always sided with Greengrass in the Paul VS Tony war…but let’s be honest…Matt needs a hit…Adjustment Bureau is a disaster..Patrick W. will want Matt to make this film.
You’ve seen The Adjustment Bureau already? That must be nice…. Care to share where you’re seeing movies before they come out?
This is AWESOME news.
Even though i wish Paul Greengrass would’ve came back i think Gilroy is a good choice. He’s a smart filmmaker all he needs to do now is brush up on his shaky-cam techniques.
Without Damon, Greengrass, Rouse and other team Greengrass members, I do not think Bourne will be the same.
I love this franchise, but fear it has seen its best days under the previous production team.
Mixed feelings. First Bourne was great. Third was very tired (evil CIA plot was right out of USA network).
Clayton was very well done.
And, with Gilroy, we’re likely to be spared the videographic Tourettes that afflicted Bourne 2 and 3.
I agree 100% Lord Jiggy.
Agree agree, point for point.
After Bourne Identity, the other two just lost more steam with Part III being the worst. Boring plot and way too much shaky cam.
Pure garbage: Greengrass didn’t exit in a huff, he just didn’t want to do another one, said so and exited with grace. Sometimes there’s no Hollywood Babylon cover-up, just people following their muse and not the cash. Thank god.
michael clayton superb? that was a mess. both of them were misfires. I hope he will learn how to direct when he will take over from greengrass. (who will be sadly missed) and we both know his scripts for Bourne were heavily rewritten, sometimes buy Damon & Greengrass on the very day of the shooting.
anway if they have to replace Matt -> Chris Pine!
To me, without Damon, none of this matters
My favorite screenwriter is writing and directing? YES!
After Michael Clayton (which we all know should have won the Oscar for best original screenplay!!!!) I am a Gilroy-devotee.
Now I’m more excited about this project than ever.
The ‘Bourne’ series is the best action-thriller ever made.
No other movie series has made me watch it over and over and over.
Tony Gilroy is a genius at this – but he’s horrible at Michael Clayton (one of the worst films I’ve seen) and Duplicity (second worst film). Can’t believe it’s from the same guy!
He’ll make a fine director, but keep the same editors or ones who truly understand what makes ‘Bourne’ work.
Perfect case example is the scene in ‘Bourne Supremacy’ where Bourne meets No. 2. and there’s a huge battle in the kitchen. Everything that leads up to it is brilliant – the editors take their time with the No. 2 coming inside, then pulling out the gun from the fridge. It’s masterful and genius and establishes right away he’s a foe to contend with.
Very few films have the complete package of ‘Bourne’ (Exotic location, clever storyline, brilliant directing, acting, etc).
I can’t say enough great things about ‘Bourne’
Finally, THANK YOU, for limiting the profanity. You don’t need foul language in this film – it’s lazy writing and warps our culture down a notch everytime.
Thank you to the filmmakers for this brilliant film and to the smart studio heads who ‘get it’.
Greengrass is eminently replaceable – he didn’t even direct the first (and best) Bourne installment. Damon is as well – he’s nothing special.
Doug Liman is a hack. If they brought him back as director, it would be the worst in the series. There’s a reason why he was replaced.
Bourne is like Bond. Although Sean Connery has always been THE Bond in my mind, I have none-the-less enjoyed some of those who came later. I have no doubt it will be the same with Bourne. Matt Damon IS Bourne and I agree that it would be foolish of him to turn it down. However, there CAN be another Bourne without him. It just takes a good producer, director, character, script, actor, crew, etc.
I agree, the studio needs to do all they can to get Damon back. As far as Greengrass goes, I can take him or leave him. I personally did not enjoy Supremacy & Ultimatum as much as I did Bourne Identity.
They were idiots to lose Greengrass and idiots to choose Gilroy to direct. They’ve effed up a helluva franchise.
The DP had nothing to do with the choice of shakey cam it was all
Paul’s call.
You think Damon needs a hit, if you have ever seen a Damon interview you would know that Damon is fine with where his career is and is going. He does the movies he wants to do, regardless of money he makes or the money the movie makes. If his movies flop and he no longer is the lead in every movie he would be fine with it. He doesn’t care if he is lead or supporting. He has enough support and respect in the industry that he will be working as long as he wants to and do the projects that he wants to.
Eventually, the studio will be able to replace Damon, but it’s currently much too soon. Unlike most fictional characters, audiences don’t have a high level of identification with Bourne’s previous incarnations. This makes him more like an Indiana Jones or John McClane in the general public’s mind, despite the fact that he did originate in print.
The other problem is that, not only do audiences associate the character with a specific actor, but they’ve also followed that single actor’s journey throughout the course of the films. Bond has always been relatively easy to replace, since his adventures are episodic and largely unrelated. However, replacing Damon now would be like trying to replace Luke Skywalker just a few years after Return of the Jedi.
Damon returning in The Bourne Legacy is a surefire hit that will feel like a logical continuation of the story. Any attempt to reboot with a new actor will just come across as a cheap attempt to cash-in on a great trilogy.
You guys are kind of stupid, Michael Clayton was great and Oscar-nominated and Duplicity got RAVE reviews. Tony Gilroy is a very talented director
…or maybe just an intolerant little girl. grow up and respect other people’s opinions!
After Greengrass delivered that turd ‘green zone’, Universal must have realized Bourne success had nothing to do with him.
Good riddance to Greengrass — although I thought in Green Zone he finally learned to tone down the shaky cam a bit. I’d like to see them bring back Doug Liman — the first Bourne is still the best.
But I LOVED Michael Clayton, so I think Gilroy will do a fine job.
We want matt damon as bourne. Partfour and everafter. Time to call in the Hwood credits to make it work.