On the red carpet for the Invictus London premiere this week Empire asked Damon for an update on the next Bourne movie and here’s the quote which lit the speculation touchpaper:
There’ll probably be a prequel of some kind with another actor and another director before we do another one,” he said, “just because I think we’re probably another five years away from doing it – we’ve got to get a script…
Another actor, another director? Is this a smokescreen Damon and Greengrass are putting to distance themselves from the turbulent project? I’m waiting for the rumour about Zac Effron to begin the dreary rounds, but given that the thrust of the Bourne films was about Jason Bourne reclaiming his identity and his past, how far back would a prequel go, and what intrigue could provide the impetus for another film? The Webb Web perhaps?
Robert Ludlum’s Bourne trilogy were adapted into a series of films which arguably redefined the genre and with The Matarese Circle and The Chancellor Manuscript currently making their way to the big screen Ludlum’s work continue to grab the watchful eyes of the studios. Jason Bourne lived on in the series of books written by Eric Van Lustbader, which continued the story where the Ultimatum left off, so the Bourne world is wide open for sequels, so talk of a prequel or, hopefully not, a reboot seems unlikely.
Damon and Greengrass have Green Zone in the pipeline and this should do nicely for those missing their Bourne fix.
