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BREAKING: The search is over. Universal Pictures has formally offered Jeremy Renner the lead role in the Tony Gilroy-directed The Bourne Legacy. Renner, who has been nominated for Oscars the past two years for his work in The Hurt Locker and The Town, is expected to sign on quickly to play a new character in the spinoff film that begins production in September. Like the Jason Bourne character played by Matt Damon in the first three The Bourne Identity thrillers, Renner will play an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne.
Renner was one of the names rumored as the studio went through two cycles of tests over eight weeks to find the right guy. That decision was made today. Even though Renner plays an operative in the upcoming Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol, the studio felt clearly that he was in a position similar to where Damon was when his career took off with Bourne. Renner is not a kid, but he is really hitting his stride and poised to become a big star after numerous strong performances.
The studio looked closely at a number of up and coming stars, and tested the likes of Joel Edgerton (The Thing), Dominic Cooper (The Devil’s Double), Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) and Luke Evans (The Amateur American). Other names in the mix included Taylor Kitsch, Anthony Mackie and Oscar Isaac.
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With all the male leads in Hollywood it seems odd that Paramount and Universal are sharing a spy. Who knows, maybe Daniel Craig will play Matt Helm.
Sorry but Matt Damon will always be Jason Bourne’
why can’t some one leave well enough alone. do what u have to do to bring back matt damon.you screw it all up and by bringing someone into the picture and the results just are not good in my opinion. matt has proven to be a good family man and a mature actor, so bring back this other director or producer who damon will work with. think about the logic behind this. your choice but i am a fan of matt damon, i won’t even consider going to see this new actor. waste of my time.
I am a fan of Matt Damon. His should star in this film. Jason Bourne is Matt Dmaon!!
big mistake, nobody will be as good as Matt Damon. Is like Sean Conery will always be James Bond. He was the best.
Matt Damon seems to have the uncanny ability to keep moving in rapid succession which keeps the interest alive. I can not be bored watching. The time goes by very fast during the film. I can’t even go into the kitchen for food or coffee; afraid I’ll miss a lot! Keep Matt Damon!!! Do what you have to do to get him back!!!
That’s what we call editing
i hate it when they make a sequel without the original actor like the JASON BOURNE series.
I don’t want to see another actor play Jason Bourne. The reason the Bourne movies were so successful was that the the right actor was cast to play Bourne. We’re used to Matt Damon being Jason Bourne, and we want him to remain that way. If there is a reason he can’t play the part, then work around it and fix it. If it can be worked out for Renner to play the part, then it can be worked out for Matt Damon.
Matt Damon is the only Jason Bourne, he cant be replace.
did you read the article? it specifically said “Like the Jason Bourne character played by Matt Damon in the first three The Bourne Identity thrillers, Renner will play an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne.” which means he will be a completely different character…just the same premis of what Damon did.
Without Matt Damon, there is no Bourne Characters. They shouldn’t even waste our time or your money making a movie without him in it.
agreed…the storyline was acomplished already and Jason Bourne has escaped his past. It’s over. No more sequels and no more prequels. Jason Bourne was Matt Damon
why dont they just cast matt to play jason bourne instead of ruining the series common sense solution
DON’T YOU PEOPLE GET YET ? THERES ONLY ONE BOURNE ! AND THATS MATT DAMON . LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO JAMES BOND . IF HE WON’T DO IT- JUST DROP IT AND LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONG !!
Wrong Wrong Using Renner is all Wrong Noone else can be Bourne it is Matt Damons Alone do be dumb get Matt
NO.NO,” There can be only one ! If Matt Damon isn’t in it,I don’t want watch it…Why can’t they just call the movie something else ? Talking about a younger actor,Matt is still young.I can’t imagine “BOURNE”without Matt.How many Jack Ryan’s have we had.I liked them all,but I hate it when they change actors,even ‘tho in the new Bourne,Jason will be a new character,it won’t be the same.Just change the name of the movie..
I that the studio is making a grave mistake with this casting change like the old saying goes if its not broke don’t fix it and thats what we have here with replacing Matt Damon in this series it will be a flop at the box office because the public will nnot pay to see another actor potray jason bourne no mater what name you give the new charecter and how good the actor portrays the part like other responses have said whatever it takes to keep or to get him back do it Matt Damon is irreplaceable in this series
the studio just needs to eat crow and do what it takes before its to late and they end up losin somewhere in the ballpark of 30 or 40 million dollars or more
i don’t want to take anything away from renner, but BETH HOLDEN’s been working with this guy from the beginning and she deserves a big shout out for being one of those rare quality reps in this town. way to go, beth!!!
Good choice! Talented guy! Great role!
And to think that if ABC hadn’t cancelled THE UNUSUALS he’d most likely have been unavailable for most of the good stuff that’s happening to him now.
Get a grip he will never be a Bourne. As far as a good actor, in what show was that in? He might make a good game show host if he put the time in to train for it.
Um, Renner is a fine actor. Was nominated twice for the Oscar two years in a row, was in The Hurt Locker, and The Town. Played Jeffrey Dahmer to perfection in Dahmer and has no fault in this decision making process. Greengrass must be a huge pain in the butt. “Legacy” isn’t even a Ludlum book, it is fanfic written after Ludlum died. Chosen by the family to continue to Bourne books, but it still is not Ludlum. Matt Damon is Jason Bourne, but the name Bourne is not a real name. Read “Legacy” before commenting.
This guy might be a great talent but he will never be Matt Damon who made the Jason Bourne series successful!!! GIVE US MATT DAMON!!! Not a want-a-be. Who is this guy anyways?!?!?! He is no MATT Damon that’s for sure!!!
For a reboot, it’s odd they picked a guy the same age as Damon. But hey, I’m down. Renner’s an amazing actor, and this choice just made me interested in this movie.
This is not a reboot.
now, this guy makes a girl’s heart beat faster–
wise choice.
Renner was excellent in portrayal of Dahmer– he has the danger gene that i never felt from Damon.
WTF? I don’t get it, are they following the Bourne Legacy novel, or not? I know the first three novels were from the original author, and then another author took over the series.
Yesssssss. Loving this news.
So he’ll be an Impossible Mission Forces agent in that franchise, a SHIELD agent in the Avengers franchise, and a Treadstone agent in the Bourne franchise now?
Make him the next Bond already and he can play every agent in film.
I`m happy that they are grooming a real actor for future action star instead of one of those MMA whatevers. Renner is terrific, has charisma and talent in speades, and after threats that Pettyfer might get this gig, Hollywood did something right. IMO, Renner will fill Damon`s shoes well and it`s a great role. I loved Damon as JB and Renner is really the best choice for continuing with the series if Damon can`t.
Perfect choice. I was hooked with Hurt Locker, sold with The Town. Renner can do action and complex dramatic roles. Bravo.
An excellent actor = an excellent choice. A safe bet, too, ’cause if the movie is a critical dud then at least they’ll have one ace performance to sell it with.
I thought they wanted to go younger with the new Bourne, but happy with their choice(though Anthony Mackie would have been an interesting way to go)
They are not trying to go younger. They needed another actor because the movie is not about Jason Bourne.
LOL @ Anthony Mackie. I almost spit up my hot cocoa. Can’t see that happening. He’s destined for co-star status. Unless of course he happened to be of unknown racial origin (Vin Diesel, Rock) or name is Denzel or Will Smith, I can’t see the studios turning the keys of a $100 million franchise to any minority.
Re: Jeremy Renner, while I do like his acting, he is being typecast as the go to special ops guy. Seems like nobody remembers him in 28 Weeks Later playing another military role.
Dominic Cooper? Not in the same league.
Renner is awesome! But it doesn’t make sense for him in Bourne after he’s in M:I and the avengers. Isn’t he supposed to be the heir apparent in mission and take over the franchise? I fear no one wants to see a movie with Bourne in the title right now unless Matt Damon is in it. Hopefully he knocks this thing out!
I totally agree. Matt Damon did such a good job playing Jason Bourne and I think he should continue the legacy.
The Bourne series will not be the same without Matt Damon playing the lead role Jason Bourne. He is Jason Bourne and no one but him can or should play him. If Matt Damon is not in the lead role I will not pay to see this movie. The Mucky Mucks need to pay Matt the price he is asking to get him to play Jason Bourne!!!!
Jeez. Love him, but how about some variety, Hollywood? So now Renner is supposed to carry Bourne AND Mission: Impossible going forward? AND play a big part in Marvel’s Avengers? The guy deserves to be a star, but he doesn’t deserve to monopolize the action-thriller genre for the next 5 years. I wouldn’t have expected such short-sighted obvious casting from Gilroy, who is now an established director.
I love Renner, he is a very good actor, but I would like to see someone very different from Matt Damon for this new film. Someone like Mackie, Luke Evans, Edgerton, Cooper or Idris Elba or McAvoy, for example. I think that Renner is look alike with Daniel Craig as James Bond, too.
I really like the idea of Idris Elba. He is so good, and Hollywood is not really getting the colorblind casting thing much. You’d think Denzel Washington was the only black casting choice for serious action film roles for the past thirty years!
Stringer Bell would be awesome!
Apparently Hollywood is trying to kill him.Mission Impossible in December 2011, Avengers in May 2012 and The Bourne Legacy in August 2012.No 40 year old should be making back to back action movies.
MMMMM.OK….Matt Damon is SUPER excelent…I hope that Jeremy Renner DONT RUINNIG THIS MOVIE!!!!!PLEEEASSE!!!!
i am such a diehard ‘
I am a die hard fan of the Bourne series, and to me that means Matt Damon…why is Jeremy Renner as good an actor as he is being offered every single role…i won’t go see Bourne unless it has Damon attached…sorry
I agree I am a die hard Bourne man and that means Matt or nothing I would never take the time to watch Renner in any show he just don’t have what it takes to be a superspy.
Honestly, I wasn’t excited about a Bourne movie without Damon but this is pretty good news. And for the record, I thought Jeremy was gold based on his episode of Angel back in the day. I know its kind of cheesy but there you have it. Now if I can only get some worldwide recognition for Richard Armitage of BBC’s Robin Hood, Spooks and North and South. He is a fantastic actor as well.
Armitage is playing Thorin in THE HOBBIT films. Those will get him in the worldwide eye come next December.
I love the guy, but you do realize he is being set up to take over the “Mission Impossible” franchise as well. I hope this isn’t too much of him playing the same type of role in similar franchises at the SAME EXACT TIME.
Not sure about this call but I guess we will have to wait and see. My initial reaction he is not right but as they say no one knows anything in this town At the moment I would have to include Tony Gilroy.
I loved him in The Unusuals. He was the reason I watched the show. They may have something in picking him for a Bourne role. Love it!
Renner is a great actor. But playing two spy characters in less than two years in two different movies will look like overkill. But Gilroy is probably the best screenwriter in the game so I’m inclined to believe he knows what he’s doing.
He is on fire right now. . .not bad for a kid from Modesto. Kudos on Bourne. . .it is an excellent quality series. Kudos to Beth Holden for working it for him. . . She believed in his talent when no one else knew who he was and put him in the right places at the right time.. . Priceless.
Anthony Mackie? That would be awesome! C’mon Hollywood…show us something fresh and different.