As a movie buff who’s been following the Bourne saga since its inception, I must say that Matt Damon’s return to the franchise after a six-year hiatus is nothing short of a delightful surprise. Having watched every installment, I can attest to the fact that Damon’s portrayal of Jason Bourne has been nothing short of extraordinary – a physical and emotional tour de force that left me on the edge of my seat.
In October 2024, it was officially announced that Matt Damon will rejoin the Bourne series for its sixth film, titled “The Bourne Dilemma.” Edward Berger is set to direct this new installment, with Damon returning since his last appearance in “Jason Bourne” from 2016. Despite his absence in the fourth film, “The Bourne Legacy,” which was a spin-off born out of Damon’s discontentment with Part 3, “The Bourne Ultimatum,” fans of the Bourne franchise have yet to fully recover.
With Damon rejoining his iconic movie series, it’s intriguing to ponder why he parted ways initially, what enticed him to come back, and how the franchise might evolve under its fresh directorial guidance. Notably, all three novels by Robert Ludlum that served as the Bourne source material have been brought to screen, opening up exciting possibilities for a thrilling new direction in the Bourne saga.
What Is the Bourne Franchise About?
The Bourne films constitute a series of high-octane action-thrillers, featuring the fictional character Jason Bourne (portrayed by Damon), originally conceived by author Robert Ludlum. The Bourne Identity, which is the first of three novels, was transformed onto the screen by Doug Liman, working from a script co-written with Tony Gilroy. Throughout the series’ evolution, both Damon and Gilroy played significant creative roles. In the initial movie, we follow Jason Bourne, a man unaware of his own past, compelled to discover his identity, the organization he serves, and the individuals within the CIA who seek his elimination.
In the second remade book-turned-movie, titled “The Bourne Supremacy“, Paul Greengrass took charge of the direction from a script penned by Tony Gilroy. Once again, Matt Damon stepped into the role of Jason Bourne, who found himself falsely accused by anonymous CIA defectors in this narrative. His mission was to clear his name and track down those responsible.
As a movie enthusiast, I’d say I found myself immersed in “The Bourne Ultimatum,” the third installment of the adapted series, where Jason Bourne (Damon) is once again on the run – this time from a clandestine CIA division known as Operation Blackbriar. This branch, a sneaky offshoot of the events in the previous film’s Operation Treadstone, relentlessly pursues him.
Why Matt Damon Left The Bourne Franchise
Even though each installment in the franchise surpassed its predecessor, Matt Damon chose to depart from the Bourne series following the release of The Bourne Ultimatum in 2007. This move was surprising given the franchise’s growing popularity and the critical acclaim for Damon’s physically challenging performances. However, in spite of its success, Damon felt within himself that Jason Bourne’s story had reached a dramatic climax and the character’s narrative arc had been satisfactorily concluded with a fitting ending.
After the end of “The Bourne Ultimatum”, Bourne recalls his past, discovers his true identity, and seeks revenge against the underhanded CIA agent who manipulated him. With Ludlum’s novels wrapping up and Damon believing there was no more room for growth with the character, he moved on to other endeavors.
One significant reason that contributed to Damon’s decision to part ways was the departure of director Paul Greengrass from the Bourne franchise. Without a captivating storyline for a fourth film in the series, Greengrass found himself hesitant about continuing his role as director, having previously worked on the second and third installments. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, it was primarily Greengrass’s departure and the absence of a well-written script focusing on character development that led to Damon’s choice to move on from the franchise.
After Damon left, the series underwent a transformation by introducing a new main character, Aaron Cross (played by Jeremy Renner), in The Bourne Legacy. Tony Gilroy came up with a fresh storyline not based on Ludlum’s books and penned a script with his brother Dan Gilroy. As could be expected, the absence of Damon, Greengrass, and Ludlum’s original material didn’t do well for The Bourne Legacy. The movie received the poorest reviews in the series and performed poorly financially compared to its predecessors. However, with Gilroy still involved in the Bourne franchise, Damon and Greengrass moved on to collaborate on the Iraq War thriller Green Zone in 2010. They eventually returned and revitalized the series with Jason Bourne six years later.
How Matt Damon Returned to the Franchise
Nine years following his role in “The Bourne Ultimatum”, Matt Damon teamed up once more with director Paul Greengrass for the 2016 release of “Jason Bourne”. Despite earlier believing that the character’s story was complete, Universal desired to bring back the talented duo to continue the series. As per The New York Times, Damon and Greengrass discussed the project, with the latter brainstorming fresh, thrilling ideas to propel the franchise forward.
In a nutshell, Jason Bourne locates and confronts his own character, who’s in hiding, due to ruthless CIA agents determined to eliminate him. The narrative concludes by delving into Operation Treadstone, linking it to the 2019 TV series, “Treadstone”. Although Damon and Greengrass reprised their roles, “Jason Bourne” was criticized for missing the intellectual depth that marked the first three films. This lukewarm response halted the movie franchise for eight years, with “The Bourne Dilemma” now in development.
It was revealed in October 2024 that Matt Damon would reprise his role as Jason Bourne for the sixth film in the franchise titled “The Bourne Dilemma”. Edward Berger, who has previously directed “Conclave” and “All Quiet on the Western Front”, will take charge of the production. However, it remains uncertain whether Tony Gilroy will return to pen the script. As of now, specifics about the plot remain undisclosed.
Despite thinking that the series might be finished after ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’, Matt Damon has now decided to carry on playing Jason Bourne in movies. The upcoming question is whether the franchise will thrive without Greengrass directing, and if Tony Gilroy will still maintain his unique narrative style.
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2024-10-19 01:01