Tony Gilroy Says Jason Bourne Won't Be In 'The Bourne Legacy'

Will Matt Damon star in "The Bourne Legacy"? That's the million dollar question on everyone's minds.

Some clarity has arrived from Tony Gilroy himself who called Jeffrey Wells this morning (dude, our lines are open 24-7). Part of the impetus for the call was Gilroy wanting to clear up some information stated in Deadline's original piece about Gilroy signing on to direct the script and the 'Bourne' Bible he's been writing these last few months.

For starters while the title of this new film comes from a Robert Ludlum book Gilory told Wells, "[it] will not use [that] story. It's a completely original screenplay." Gilroy also confirms something that Universal told us months ago. "This is not a reboot or a recast or a prequel."

So that million dollar question: will Damon star? "No one's replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter...this is a stand-alone project," Gilroy said trying to explain the new universe of his film, which sounds like it exists in the same timeline as Jason Bourne's, but revolves around another Treadstone-like agent. Which is what we've been speculating all along. "The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal," Gilroy said "Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he's very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I'm building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy...the world we're making enhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne's return [down the road]."

"Everything you saw in the first three films actually happened, and everyone who got into them will be rewarded for paying attention. We're going to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas. When you see what we're going and see what we're doing it'll be pretty obvious....but Jason Bourne's activities in the first three films is the immediate trigger."

Sounds like not only an intriguing idea, but the kind of plausible one that someone like screenwriter Gilroy would dream up (he's been the central architect on all the 'Bourne' films, writing all three, though it should be noted that several people share credit with him for the latter two films including Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi).

Note the "invites Jason Bourne's return [down the road]" part of Gilroy's clarification which is key. Clearly, Universal doesn't want to close the chapter on Matt Damon's return — this is their showpony franchise — but by stating that Jason Bourne is "alive" he's not ruling out some sort of appearance either. Sources tell us that Jason Bourne is not in the script at all currently, but he could be if Damon was inclined to return.

You'll recall we originally broke the news that Paul Greengrass was leaving the franchise and while Damon says he's loyal to the director his agent Patrick Whitesell is already very anxious to get him a hit since there hasn't been one in a while, arguably since, "The Bourne Ultimatum." "Green Zone" was a total bomb, Clint Eastwood's "Hereafter" has already been savaged by critics and is about to go DOA in theaters, "The Adjustment Bureau" has been rescheduled several times and will likely be another dud when it arrives in theaters next year and that leaves the Coen Brothers' "True Grit" which doesn't have "hit" written on it at all, but it could become successful if it takes during Oscar season (though as "The Hurt Locker" can attest, Academy Awards wins and box-office success can be mutually exclusive).

When you think about it, all Damon need to convince him to appear in another 'Bourne' film (this one or any future ones) is a good script and Greengrass' "blessing" and no one will fault him for taking the gig. However the actor is a man of integrity and he's likely not going to do it if it doesn't feel right.

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Tony Gilroy To Direct 'The Bourne Legacy'

“Those works were never meant to be filmed,” Tony Gilroy once said dismissively about the "The Bourne Identity" novels which he eventually turned into a script for director Doug Liman. “They weren’t about human behavior. They were about running to airports."

Tony Gilroy has never had an easy relationship with the 'Bourne' franchise, but he was paid handsomely to pen the scripts for each installment, but became increasingly frustrated with what ended up on screen (tellingly, he agreed to write "Bourne Ultimatum" under the conditions that he would never have to speak to Paul Greengrass, would only pen one draft -- indeed, three writers are credited -- get paid, and wash his hands of the entire affair).

Well, it looks like Gilroy is finally going to get a chance to tell the story his way. He's been hired by Universal to direct the fourth installment "The Bourne Legacy" after turning in a draft of the screenplay.

The troubled project hit the skids last year when director Paul Greengrass walked from the project. Universal, trying to find a direction to the take the fourth film, had two scripts written for the project: one by George Nolfi(who co-wrote 'Bourne 3' and who wrote and directed the other Matt Damon vehicle the "The Adjustment Bureau"), and another by scribe, Josh Zetumer in what was described as a "parallel" script. Zetumer has been a Black List favorite for several years, and has "The Infiltrator" in development with Leonard DiCaprio's company, Appian Way, and wrote the latest incarnation of "Dune." The problem? Greengrass, who had been busy toiling away on "Green Zone," was not consulted by Universal in the hiring of a new writer. This obviously did not make him happy, but that was only part of the issue.


"Green Zone," which was supposed to be a small film between the two franchise projects, found the budget balloon to nearly $150 million. And Greengrass' tendency to run over schedule and budget went back to "The Bourne Ultimatum;" while Universal looked the other way once the film was a smash hit, even before "Green Zone" hit theaters, the studio was bracing for the worst. Adding even more to the plot is Matt Damon's loyalty to the director, more or less saying that he wouldn't appear in any 'Bourne' films unless Greengrass was behind the camera.

As for Gilroy, he's been hinted as a replacement since last winter, and is really, the best and most logical choice for the job. That said, it remains to be seen if Matt Damon will return but earlier this year, it sounded like he had pretty much moved on saying, "You don't have anything more to contribute to a franchise that needs to continue obviously, and in order to continue, a franchise needs to be rebooted and re-energized by new perspectives. I just felt that I'd done it, and there's nothing unnatural about that." In fact the tentative titled, "The Bourne Legacy," pretty much seems like an indication the franchise is moving on from Damon and that Jason Bourne character.

While the fourth entry was originally slated for 2012 release, there is no timetable yet in place. But it is easily the studio's biggest franchise and one they're eager to get back on screens soon. The question now is: who is the next Jason Bourne or at least the Bourne-like spy who will continue the franchise? [Deadline]

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