TheBournefranchise could be set for a new home - and a potential reboot - after leaving Universal nine years after its last big-screen installment, with new bidders in talks to acquire the rights. TheBournemoviefranchise began life in 2002 withThe Bourne Identity, which starred Matt Damonas the titular spy with psychogenic amnesia. The movie was a box office success and spawned a franchise, with four sequels and a TV show, but anotherBournefilm has not materialized, with the last installment being 2016’sJason Bourne.
PerThe Hollywood Reporter, WME - on behalf of the estate of author Robert Ludlum, who penned the successful novel series - is shopping the rights to the franchise.Apple and Netflix, as well as Skydance, are all said to have met with the estate, and Universal itself could even win back the rights, with the possibility of a franchise reboot in play. According to the report, there’s no word yet on whether Damon would be involved in any future project.
What This Means For The Future Of The Bourne Franchise
This Is An Influential Franchise That Could Enjoy Enduring Popularity
The move to acquire theBournerights comes after Amazon took control of theJames BondIP, and illustrates the current clamor for strong content among streaming platforms. TheBournemovies have enjoyed a successful legacy across five movies, and theTV spinoffTreadstone, with plenty of creative directions the franchise could go in the future. TheBournemovies have grossed over $1.6 billion to date and have proven highly influential on modern action movies.
2002
$214 million
2004
$288.5 million
2007
$442.8 million
2012
$276 million
2016
$415.4 million
While theBournemovies may not be as iconic as theJames Bondfranchise, and may lack the ingenuity of theMission: Impossiblefilms, as mid-budget spy thrillers go, they have proven hugely successful and impactful on the action genre.The franchise can almost certainly find success wherever it is picked up, and the option would exist for either a reboot or even a continuationof the series. It is unclear who might be involved, and there’s even the chance thatJeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross could returnto the franchise after heading up 2012’sThe Bourne Legacy.
Our Verdict On Jason Bourne’s New Home
The Franchise Should Thrive On Streaming
While theatrical releases are still an important part of the movie industry, the shift toward streaming has been undeniable. While Bourne’s future could be on the big screen, direct to streaming feels like the most probable play here. It would mean the existing movies would get a run on streaming, and audiences could reconnect withDamon as Jason Bourne, paving the way for new productions, even if the Oscar winner isn’t involved. There would also be scope for branching out into TV shows and spinoffs as well, which would suggest an exciting future for theBournefranchise.
Source:THR
Jason Bourne
The Bourne Franchise is an action-thriller series conceived initially by Robert Ludlum in the Bourne novel series. The film adaptations began with The Bourne Identity in 2002 with Matt Damon starring as Jason Bourne, a man who, after regaining his memories, learns that he was a top CIA assassin, with his former employer trying to kill him to tie up loose ends. The mantle eventually was briefly handed over to a new protagonist, Aaron Cross, portrayed by Jeremy Renner in The Bourne Legacy. A television show titled Treadstone was created to tell the story of the titular agency behind the program but was canceled after one season.
