I’ve stated it earlier than and I’ll say it once more: the surprises which have landed in the course of the 2025 film schedule usually are not all coming to a theater close to you simply but. Simply as we noticed the chatter round Amazon-MGM’s now-confirmed James Bond hirings promising a brand new period of change for 007, we additionally realized that Common will now be competing to recapture the rights to Robert Ludlum’s Bourne sequence.
On the one hand, ought to the studio hold its grip on the Matt Damon-fronted franchise, Edward Berger’s legacy-quel pitch may nonetheless be within the playing cards. However as a fan who’s been displaying up since The Bourne Id in 2002, I’m truly assured that that is a type of instances the place hitting the reset button on Mission Treadstone is a good suggestion.
The Bourne Rights Are Up For Grabs Once more, And That’s A Fairly Huge Alternative
Earlier than we get too deep into tradecraft, let’s have a fast debrief on what’s happening. Beforehand reported intel has indicated that we’re getting into a Bourne saga bidding battle. Common sounds prefer it’s nonetheless in rivalry, however rivals Skydance, Apple and Netflix are all trying to get in on the motion due to the property of Robert Ludlum entertaining this prospect.
The newest standing replace on Matt Damon’s incarnation of Jason Bourne, a.ok.a. “David Webb,” got here on the finish of 2023 – by the rumored Berger undertaking beforehand talked about. One has to surprise if that’s presently floating within the New York waters, ready to awaken to the tune of “Excessive Days,” as a result of as of proper now, there’s no clue if that concept will survive. Placing that thought into the context of my ideas on the sequence general, that may not be the worst concept.
Sizzling Take: Even As A Fan, I Suppose Matt Damon’s Bourne Sequence Solely Has One Notable Film
I actually do benefit from the Bourne films, however as a fan, I must admit to an enormous caveat. Simply as individuals have their selection(s) for the most effective James Bond film, I are likely to play favorites with these Robert Ludlum-inspired thrillers. Which implies it’s time for me to place all of my playing cards on the desk and admit that 2004’s The Bourne Supremacy is the one entry I’m truly fairly keen on.
The Bourne Id is okay, however you’ll be able to actually really feel the awkwardness that got here from the pressured manufacturing. In the meantime, The Bourne Ultimatum felt like a slight let down, because it rehashed a lot of Supremacy that it felt like a DLC add-on. As for The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne… properly, these had been actually makes an attempt at protecting the occasion going.
Nothing has ever lived as much as the advance of director Paul Greengrass’ first sequel, and that’s simply my sincere opinion. Which, in a method, speaks to a different drawback that’s been current since The Bourne Id first dusted up theaters so way back.
The Bourne Motion pictures Have been By no means Actually Loyal To Robert Ludlum’s Books
All through the complete historical past of the Bourne saga, the phrase “adaptation” was extra of a suggestion than an precise description of what was happening. That wasn’t by chance, as a 2009 interview with The New Yorker noticed Tony Gilroy sum up his emotions about Robert Ludlum’s authentic novels thusly:
They weren’t about human habits. They had been about operating to airports. The filter that readers placed on to learn a sure form of fiction could be very forgiving
Whereas nonetheless remaining a fan of most of what transpired underneath the Gilroy/Greengrass reign over these tales, the choice for a book-accurate model of The Bourne Id and its sequels may work relatively properly at this second in time. It’d truly be a form of full circle second, as the primary adaptation of the 1980 novel was a extra devoted 1988 TV miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain.
Simply as Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan took that espionage adjoining character and gave us a extra grounded model by John Krasinski’s CIA firm man, seeing a extra loyal adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s airport-friendly tales may work.
A Bourne Reboot Feels Primed To Take A Streaming Sequence Strategy
Whereas we’re speaking Jack Ryan, the fashionable period of streaming sequence might be a implausible new dwelling for Jason Bourne. Just about every of the bidders concerned outdoors of Common have made their bones doing such issues, as Skydance has Reacher and Cross underneath its belt, whereas Apple TV+ is dwelling to Sluggish Horses, and Netflix has Bridgerton.
All are literary phenomena which have been given the sluggish burn strategy, and we right here at CinemaBlend have even highlighted The Bourne Id saga as a literary hero ripe for a sequence adaptation. It could even be relatively becoming to see this idea transpire, as that first adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s hero we beforehand talked about was aired on ABC.
Common Might Keep The Jason Bourne Franchise By means of James Bond Fashion Casting
Rebooting a sequence doesn’t at all times wipe the slate clear, which once more brings us again to the James Bond sequence and the way it has stored itself operating by six a long time. If Jason Bourne ought to stay at Common, the studio may nonetheless execute a form of “gentle reboot,” which sees a brand new lead actor within the function.
On the similar time, I completely agree that Julia Stiles’ destiny from The Bourne Stuntacular must be canon. And if we open the 007 comparisons up a bit additional, she might be stored on board whereas a brand new actor performs Jason. Consider Nikki Parsons because the Miss Moneypenny to Jason Bourne’s Commander Bond. And no, The Bourne Legacy would not depend as a result of Jeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross was a very completely different character within the Bourne universe.
Although simply as Moneypenny is topic to vary with each new James Bond, that function would greater than probably be recast in a reboot. It’s a difficult topic, as we nonetheless want to attend and see who lands the property of their secure of leisure. However regardless of who wins, I feel we’d all win by letting this undertaking turn out to be Bourne once more.