Matt Damon to be Bourne Again?
Posted on Friday, October 19th, 2007 by Peter Sciretta
A couple months back, Matt Damon was going around telling people, press, and anyone who would listen, that he would not be returning for a fourth Jason Bourne movie.
“We have ridden that horse as far as we can.” He admitted to feeling like “a bit of a prostitute for putting out two number threes in one year.”
Well something has apparently changed his mind, and Damon now seems to be considering the possibility of a fourth film.
“Personally, the character means a lot to me because the character has done so much for my career. You know, it put me in the position where I have a lot more choices of kind of movies I want to make,” Damon told the Agence France Presse in Tokyo. “If Paul Greengrass, maybe years down the road, was interested in doing another one, then I would do it, too,” he said. “I don’t think either of us completely put the character to bed yet.”
The Bourne trilogy has made over $900 million worldwide at the box office (the last film, Ultimatum, responsible for $404 million of that total). So it’s likely that the money is doing a little bit of the talking. The movies are based on novels by Robert Ludlum, who passed away in 2001. Eric Van Lustbader has since written two sequels to Ludlum’s Bourne series: The Bourne Legacy in 2004, and The Bourne Betrayal in 2007), both of which have received lukewarm reviews by readers. Hollywood might be better off creating their own story to continue the franchise.
19th October, 12:43pm
…as opposed to the faithful and completely literal translation Universal created with the first 3?
The only things the books and the movies have in common are the character of Jason Bourne and the titles.
19th October, 1:08pm
“Hollywood might be better off creating their own story to continue the franchise.”
Yeah, I don’t think the third one shared anything except for the title.
19th October, 1:40pm
Any plot details on the last two Bourne books? Reasons why they werent popular with readers?
19th October, 1:41pm
“Any plot details on the last two Bourne books? Reasons why they werent popular with readers?”
Well, they weren’t written by Robert Ludlum.
20th October, 6:06am
Whether the films followed the books or not, I enjoyed them. I wouldn’t mind seeing more.
20th October, 2:38pm
[...] Slashfilm reports music to my ears - something has apparently changed Matts mind, he now seems to be considering the possibility of a fourth film. Damon told the Agence France Presse in Tokyo: [...]
20th October, 3:26pm
I would encourage the producers of the bourne series to continue with the franchise or try and do it from a different angle, not necessary like the first 3 I hope they continue producing great films like the first 3
20th October, 6:41pm
Matt Damon to be Bourne Again?…
This story has been submitted to Stirrdup. Your support can help it become hot….
20th October, 7:11pm
If you read the book, you know all three movie came from the first book.
Actually, beside the memory lost part, nothing is related between the book and movie
20th October, 7:21pm
This is old news. These comments are from back when the film was released. But he’s talking about YEARS down the line in the story as well. I remember him specifically throwing around the number 20. Damon wasn’t talking about doing a fourth in the next few years. He was treating it as a whole new story, maybe a second trilogy idea.
20th October, 7:33pm
Justin: The first first comment was from when he was promoting the film, the second comment is brand new from this week’st Agence France Presse in Tokyo. Before last week Damon has said “no more bourne movies” in most interviews.
20th October, 8:11pm
Matt Damon to be Jason Bourne Again?…
I sure hope so! He looked awesome in the series. And I also hope he hooks up with Niki in the 4th movie. There was this article here saying that he might hav……
20th October, 10:31pm
Well first of all you gotta understand… The movies are base don the books, however the books contain much more depth for example, Bourne had a family, a daughter and a son, killed during vietnam.
1st book. He’s trying to find his identity while avoiding getting killed by an international assasin. (I guess that’s more or less the first movie, with that black guy i forget the name)
2nd book, after learning his identity in the 1st book, although his memory is still gone, he lives with Marie (and she lives…), and learns that there is someone in China that uses his “Jason Bourne” psudonym… (2nd movie had NOTHING of this…)
3rd book, showdown between bourne and his nemesis carlos, the assasin trying to kill him in the first book…
Basically all three movies are bourne trying to find his past… which is pretty much only the first book.
Now the book sequel (i’ve only read bourne legacy) as the title explains someone is replacing bourne.. well with the first 3 books in mind we know he was a puppet assasin, and well what we learn is that
SPOILER
his son is alive and is a real assasin.. Marie gets killed by some dude..
END SPOILER
how they would put that in the movies, they can’t, really, unless they have those annoying flashbacks that says he has a family… but he can’t really have those flashbacks since he himself doesn’t have anything close to a family right now which could act as stimuli for his brain (marie’s dead remember)
20th October, 11:19pm
[...] [Via: Slash Film] [...]
21st October, 9:39am
I think the Bourne films have been some of the best quality action films of the last decade, so as long as any continuation stays true to form, then this should be good news.
21st October, 12:20pm
[...] Damon recently said that he might return in a fourth Bourne movie if director Paul Greengrass was interested as well. [...]
21st October, 3:57pm
[...] read more | digg story Posted by corylines45 Filed in Uncategorized [...]
21st October, 5:03pm
[...] Matt Damon to be Bourne Again? | /Film [...]
21st October, 7:19pm
[...] Matt Damon novamente como Bourne? Por que comerciais antes dos filmes são piores que pirataria? (matéria gringa com tÃtulo bem [...]
22nd October, 5:20am
[...] VÃa Slashfilm [...]
22nd October, 10:12am
Yesss! I’ve been thinking of a few possible titles for the next Bourne movie. How about, The Bourne Bjorn! Click this link for more…
http://nateisablog.blogspot.com/2007/06/bourne-iterations.html
4th November, 5:31am
[...] read more | digg story [...]
16th November, 7:19am
Bourne trilogy are the best of the films i have ever seen in recent years. The action, music, setting and ofcourse direction-all has made the three films stand different from others. I never imagined a spy-like story based movie to be this much serious or fascinating. Even the 007 (Bond) films can not beat the last of the trilogy. Can anyone tell me some good recent moves….?
16th November, 7:24am
Friends give me some good movie names like Bourne Series….
7th December, 5:41am
[...] (12/7): Peter Sciretta sees evidence that Matt Damon is now open to the possibility of a fourth movie. Quoting Damon: “If Paul [...]
10th December, 7:39am
Bourne SEQUEL or PREQUEL still possible:
*********************************
***Possible SPOILERs included ***
I had actually missed the first one in the theater until my friend asked me if I had seen The Bourne Identity and when I said NO he got it on dvd and since then I have become a huge Bourne fan. I also went ahead and read all the Bourne books and am going to read the latest The Bourne Betrayal soon.
It is way late in the night and so I am just typing whatever comes to mind, but I am damn sure that a couple of more Bourne movies can still be made.
For starters, there can be a prequel made where we learn about who David Webb is and how and why he was trained to become Jason Bourne, perhaps by using the main story from the book about him vs Carlos the Jackal and with some real good training stuff that would include martial arts, avoiding traps and detection, using weapons and technology to some superb driving skills lessons would make a really exciting movie. Add to that a part about Bourne/Webb being an army guy with family and his family gets killed with no bodies found, specially of his son (leaving a chance for his son to come back in another Bourne movie) and Webb/Bourne going into the Treadstone program to become the lethal weapon he is. I am sure this storyline would make an awesome movie. Just like it was fun to watch how batman became batman or how spiderman became spiderman, I am sure it would be awesome to watch Bourne become Bourne the lethal weapon who is damn hard to find and slippery as an eel. This story line could also include his romance with Nikki that we get a hint of in the third movie (The Bourne Ultimatum). Add to this some really good cat and mouse chase between Bourne and say Carlos the Jackal or some other bad guy where each one sets up traps for each other, some exciting new locations and we got a damn good movie.
Though I would wish that this time there won’t be too much of the free-hand camera style else it becomes really hard to figure out what is going on. Somewhat like that Tangiers scene where he jumps through a window and if you blink you would miss the shock on the face of the people who see him come crashing into their home!
That shaky camera style works wonders for some scenes but not for everything.
The SEQUEL could be made using the above storyline in flashback mode as well and add some bad guys that are either from his past or want to get him blamed for some stuff he didn’t do and that would work as well. Perhaps with him and Nikki gone into hiding and Bourne getting most of his memory back along with Nikki’s help, the memory flashbacks could use parts from the stuff I mentioned above.
So yeah there is a possible story or two that can make Bourne come back to the big screen. Hopefully the director and Matt Damon read this and decide to make a couple of more bourne movies and we can all enjoy more of Jason Bourne.
As far as Ultimatum goes, I wish they had made it a bit longer, it is so awesome that once I was in the theater and then I was out thinking just one word: WOW ! I am definitely going to see it a few more times on the big screen for sure.
** Bourne in BOOKS for those who want to read up:
1) The Bourne Identity
2) The Bourne Supremacy
3) The Bourne Ultimatum
— the above 3 books are by Robert Ludlum
4) The Bourne Legacy
5) The Bourne Betrayal
—- Legacy and Betrayal, these 2 books are by Eric Van Lustbader.
And finally for those of you who have not yet seen The Bourne Ultimatum, stop reading and go see it RIGHT NOW ! I would say it is the best movie of the year, no questions about that one!
13th December, 12:13am
Call the fourth “Bourne Redemption.”
Start with David finding Nicki, similar to Bourne I
ending. Another Navy vet is appointed as head of CIA
(cut to executive branch debate whether that’s a wise
idea). Vet turns out to be Viet era comrade of Ezra
(flashback of Ezra saving Vet’s life; Vet: “I owe you
one”), and to redeem Ezra frames Pam. Pam flees (similar to Berlin Game by Len Deighton),
plants story in Int’l Herald Trib to draw David out
for meeting. Pam: “You don’t owe me anything.”
David: “I’m doing this for myself.” Pam is a desk
woman now forced into field agent craft. She’s read
training manuals, but has never killed anyone . . .
until now. In one of several requisite motor vehicle
chase scenes, she tries to flee on a motorcycle, but a
la Richard Gere (Pretty Woman) is missing all her gear
shifts. Cycle stalls, and bad guy unexpectedly
crashes into her. A la Bourne of using what ever’s
handy for weapon, she stabs bad guy in eye w/ eyeliner
stick. Cut to store scene where Pam buys another, to
store clerk: “I lent mine to a colleague.” David
tries to teach Pam how to stay alive. Pam is shaking,
now w/ blood on her hands: “How can I live with
myself?” David to Pam: “Think of all the men the CIA
had me kill, and add one more.” Film Hillary in a
cameo (film now while she has some time), as POTUS,
giving David medal and pardon: “You saved American
lives; there’s a star on the wall @ Langley for Jason
Bourne.” End scene, David to Nicky: “You can go home
again . . . if you want to go home.” Nicky: “Where’s home?”
28th December, 8:26pm
matt damon was the best in the bourne trilogy but to me it doesnt really matter what he does because a good movie is a good movie and that it all important
11th January, 9:43pm
I think the Bourne movies are great, and I enjoyed that each carries over to the next. Still though, there seems that part of Nikki’s and David’s life that they left out of Ultimatum. Maybe I missed something, but didn’t seem as though they were leading us to believe Nikki has feelings for Jason/David and she is always the constant in each that he can’t bring himself to harm. Why?
18th January, 9:32pm
three greatest spy thrillers of all time ! yet so many questions unanswered . trailers to ultimatum claimed to answer all of jb’s questions .maybe jb got his answers ,but the audiance was left jaw dropped and still confused! so i say dare there be a fouth fifth and even to a tenth if need be ,just keep us suspended with the suspence of “BOURNE”
11th February, 7:27am
Ya’ll have interesting thoughts on how the movie’s story line should proceed. Be it a prequel … sequel, or something in between. Having already deviated from the basic Ludlum story, the movies shold now follow their own path. Hmmm, maybe, they 2nd trilogy can tie the author’s (both Ludlum’s and VanLustbader’s) and the movie stories together into a common thread. Now that would be an interesting twist …
20th February, 8:18am
as much as i would love damon to come back to do another film, i think that ultimatum did a good job of wrapping up the story and if he were to do another film the producers would have to start up another plot. i understand there are two more bourne novels but they weren’t written by ludlum.
9th April, 7:56am
Wow,,,,Bourne Series are Superb and i want to look Matt Damon as Jason Boure throughout my life
i really am crazy about this movies….
i really like Matt Damon performing as Jason Bourne
9th April, 7:59am
there are no leakage in this movie,,the steps Bourne takes and the moves he make and the way he thinks are the most i like……i eagerly want to look his 4th,5th,6th and more series of Bourne soon
11th April, 4:42am
Matt should be back to those series..coz he fit them well
15th April, 9:09am
Hope Matt damon…plays in forth and fifth parts of jason bourne…matt rocks man…the spy character totally suits more to matt than anyone i feel…the bourne films beat the other spy movies…called james bond n stuff…bourne fims rocks…plz matt u play the role…:-)
17th April, 1:34pm
i love matt damon as jason bourne but i think enough is enough.come on quit whilst you are still ahead. what else is there to do? can he save timmy from falling down the well or find out who pushed timmy down the well and make the person pay.if i see this [plot as a bourne movie u can bet i will be suing.
14th May, 11:10am
in my opinon the bourne legacy and betrayel are two kick ass books that deserve to be put on the big screen so that the not so avid readers can enjoy van ludloms master piece. As for the bourne sanction i havnt gotten around to it yet but im sure it will be as good as the rest
24th June, 6:45pm
If there would be change in character of Bourne Betrayal, I think I would not feel anymore there is connected with the last three. Matt Deamon is so perfectly match with the story. I can’t imagine how it feel when character would be change.
1st July, 9:10am
I think a “Bourne Redemption” is a great idea, but I don’t necessarily like the foolhardy plot of the earlier comment on the subject…
It would be nice to see Bourne do something heroic for the country, like foil an assassination of the president (insert complex international conspiracy *here*), and be rewarded with a “clean slate” where all of the “bourne” records are destroyed so he can, in the end, return to a normal life as David Webb with the woman he loves (insert romance plot *here*)…
13th July, 3:02am
Damon should be the man for it. Dont have any idea why refused in the beggining just cool to hear that he is coming back. Love to see him as Jason Bourne!!!!!!!!! Wouldn’t mind commenting to shape his body more accurate!!!!!
18th July, 8:19am
i thimk you should make another movie! make a thousand! they are awesome.
also there are still some mysteries that haven’t been answered yet.
but matt damon must be bourne. that is an absouloute must!you cannot have it just end!
make him an assasin again this time for the good guys. the books are dumb. write own screen play and use the books just to get an idea no what to do.
but….MAKE ANOTHER MOVIE!
we are all crazy about bourne!
29th July, 12:38pm
I think another movie would do great! Matt Damon is perfect for the job. Look at the money it brought in! They would be crazy not to do another one. Maybe and Oscar is around the corner for these guys if they keep doing the Bourne movies. Everyone would love it! Thank You.
15th August, 10:53am
THE FIRST THREE MOVIES WERE GREAT AND HAVE ALL THREE ON DVD.
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE BOURNE LEGACY TAKES UP WHERE THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM ENDED.
7th September, 3:10am
I believe the Bourne series are great! The Bourne Legacy, Betrayal, and Sanction are very good ideas but sometimes too much is too much. How many times can Jason/David escape death? However, I think the hinting we got of Nikki and Jason should definitely be addressed especially since she is still alive. There are alot of possibilities that could come of this.
26th September, 9:08am
I, too, would like to see something become of a releationship between Bourne(Webb) and Parsons. It is like they had a secret affair prior to his joining the Treadstone program, that is why he never harmed her. Bourne subconscienous would not let him. I think the movie should go in a retirement direction with Parsons. With finding his identity he should also find emotions. But then is needed to save the world and brought out of retirement, maybe with Parson’s help. It could be called “Bourne Again”.
29th September, 11:52am
I just love Jason Bourne…David Webb…well u name it! I hope they gonna make another movie of Bourne!
23rd November, 7:50am
The Bourne Sanction was "oh sooo good". The 7th book which is the "Bourne Conspiracy" is going to be released next year. Can't wait! If Matt Damon is going to consider doing The Bourne Legacy, he should be a little like 15 years older since that he's got a son named Khan. Who seems to be better than Bourne. Well, if not for "blood thicker than water" feeling. The 4th book is emotional. I'm a Matt Damon fan but I'm a Bourne fanatic.
11th May, 5:51am
Remember the bourne legacy Conklin dies in the start of the legacy. The movies obviously have him die at the end of the identity.