I don’t know about you, but I’ve had zero desire to rewatch the chem-laden fourth Bourne film, The Bourne Legacy, in which Jeremy Renner starred as Aaron Cross, another Bourne-esque agent where we learned Matt Damon‘s Jason Bourne was nothing more than a chemically created super agent, sort of sapping all the fun out of the franchise. Well, if at fourth you don’t succeed, try again…
Today Deadline is reporting Universal is switching gears with the franchise and Legacy writer/director Tony Gilroy, who’s been the backbone behind the franchise since 2002’s The Bourne Identity, will not be returning. Instead, they’ve gone with Invictus and Sherlock Holmes screenwriter Anthony Peckham. Does this suggest a shift in the serious nature of the franchise to something more broader for a larger, general audience or does Peckham have something up his sleeve?
Jeremy Renner is expected to return, but no word on whether Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton will also be brought back. If you’re hoping for Matt Damon to get back into the franchise I wouldn’t think there would be much of a chance for that now. Damon would have to sign on, there is no option that says he must return to my knowledge and I have a hard time believing Universal would commission Peckham to write a script that incorporates Damon without the actor already agreeing to participate.
When the film would arrive is unknown, but considering the five years it took them to get Legacy on the screen after The Bourne Ultimatum I wouldn’t expect a fifth film any time soon.
