Latest news with #JasonBourne
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jason Bourne is coming back – but what do we want from him this time?
What do you consider to be the end of Jason Bourne? For connoisseurs, Bourne's story definitively ended in 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum, which masterfully wrapped up the story that began five years earlier with The Bourne Identity. For the less discerning viewer, it ended with 2016's scraggy and inconsequential Jason Bourne. For the three people who watched the USA Network's 2019 series Treadstone, it ended there. So which is it? Trick question, because Jason Bourne is never actually going to end, ever. This week, NBCUniversal has won a bidding war to acquire all non-publishing rights to Robert Ludlum's Bourne and Treadstone properties in perpetuity. The deal, described as 'very large', means that Bourne is now firmly as much a part of Universal as Jaws, Jurassic World and the Minions. It also means we are never getting rid of him. As the Universal Pictures president, Peter Cramer, said: 'We're energized to continue expanding the Bourne universe into the future with exciting new stories for global audiences.' This is potentially very interesting news, because if any franchise needs a shot in the arm, it's Bourne. While its first three movies are rightly regarded as peerless, things really went off the rails after that. There was 2012's The Bourne Legacy, made without Matt Damon during that weird time where every franchise on Earth seemed to hire Jeremy Renner as its new face. There was 2016's Jason Bourne, where Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon attempted to depict Bourne as a slightly narky nightclub bouncer. And then there was Treadstone, which didn't feature Bourne at all and was canned after a single season. It might have been a wobbly couple of decades for the franchise, but it's important to remember just how revelatory Bourne was at the beginning. As soon as The Bourne Identity landed in 2002, with its grounded, propulsive, parkour-based action, it instantly made every other film in its genre look creaky and ancient. It was released in the same year as Die Another Day and, while Bond outgrossed Bourne two to one, the pure athleticism of the latter made the former – with its phalanx of invisible cars, diamond-faced baddies and shoddy CGI – look ready for the glue factory. Pierce Brosnan was ditched, Daniel Craig was hired and, tellingly, Casino Royale ended up being stuffed to the gills with an absolute Bourneload of parkour. Already there is talk of bringing Matt Damon back into the fold, with Deadline revealing that a script by Joe Barton has been written but not greenlit. And this would be the most sensible avenue, since people automatically equate Bourne with Damon and, thanks to his leading role in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey next year, his stock has rarely been higher. However, he is also in his mid-50s, which puts him squarely in 'Liam Neeson in Taken' territory, which isn't necessarily the best long-term strategy for the franchise. Then again, the character isn't exactly wanting for source material. Although Robert Ludlum wrote three Bourne books before his death in 2001, many, many more have been knocked out by various other writers since then. Maybe there'll be an adaptation of 2009's The Bourne Deception, or 2016's The Bourne Enigma, or this year's The Bourne Vendetta, or next year's The Bourne Revenge. There is now such a glut of Bourne books that perhaps the character needs to be reset with a younger actor to get them all made. One thing to avoid, perhaps, is deepening the mythology too much. Treadstone proved that any appetite the character has for the Bourne franchise begins and ends with the character of Jason Bourne. We're already drowning in watered-down IP, so the thought of sitting through a spin-off property about the madcap adventures of Julia Stiles sounds absolutely exhausting. Most pressing of all, though, is making sure that there is a place for Jason Bourne in the current landscape. Since the peerless original Bourne trilogy ended, James Bond has lived and died and been bought by Jeff Bezos. The MCU burst into life, dominated the market and then slowly asphyxiated on its own bloat. The go-to action blockbuster reference for a long time was Mission: Impossible's maximalist stuntwork, but even that came unstuck in the end. We find ourselves in exactly the place we were at the start of the century. The action world has stagnated, and there is a window for something to come along and revolutionise the game. Jason Bourne already did this once. If he can come out of retirement and do it again, the investment will be more than worth it.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jason Bourne is coming back – but what do we want from him this time?
What do you consider to be the end of Jason Bourne? For connoisseurs, Bourne's story definitively ended in 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum, which masterfully wrapped up the story that began five years earlier with The Bourne Identity. For the less discerning viewer, it ended with 2016's scraggy and inconsequential Jason Bourne. For the three people who watched the USA Network's 2019 series Treadstone, it ended there. So which is it? Trick question, because Jason Bourne is never actually going to end, ever. This week, NBCUniversal has won a bidding war to acquire all non-publishing rights to Robert Ludlum's Bourne and Treadstone properties in perpetuity. The deal, described as 'very large', means that Bourne is now firmly as much a part of Universal as Jaws, Jurassic World and the Minions. It also means we are never getting rid of him. As the Universal Pictures president, Peter Cramer, said: 'We're energized to continue expanding the Bourne universe into the future with exciting new stories for global audiences.' This is potentially very interesting news, because if any franchise needs a shot in the arm, it's Bourne. While its first three movies are rightly regarded as peerless, things really went off the rails after that. There was 2012's The Bourne Legacy, made without Matt Damon during that weird time where every franchise on Earth seemed to hire Jeremy Renner as its new face. There was 2016's Jason Bourne, where Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon attempted to depict Bourne as a slightly narky nightclub bouncer. And then there was Treadstone, which didn't feature Bourne at all and was canned after a single season. It might have been a wobbly couple of decades for the franchise, but it's important to remember just how revelatory Bourne was at the beginning. As soon as The Bourne Identity landed in 2002, with its grounded, propulsive, parkour-based action, it instantly made every other film in its genre look creaky and ancient. It was released in the same year as Die Another Day and, while Bond outgrossed Bourne two to one, the pure athleticism of the latter made the former – with its phalanx of invisible cars, diamond-faced baddies and shoddy CGI – look ready for the glue factory. Pierce Brosnan was ditched, Daniel Craig was hired and, tellingly, Casino Royale ended up being stuffed to the gills with an absolute Bourneload of parkour. Already there is talk of bringing Matt Damon back into the fold, with Deadline revealing that a script by Joe Barton has been written but not greenlit. And this would be the most sensible avenue, since people automatically equate Bourne with Damon and, thanks to his leading role in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey next year, his stock has rarely been higher. However, he is also in his mid-50s, which puts him squarely in 'Liam Neeson in Taken' territory, which isn't necessarily the best long-term strategy for the franchise. Then again, the character isn't exactly wanting for source material. Although Robert Ludlum wrote three Bourne books before his death in 2001, many, many more have been knocked out by various other writers since then. Maybe there'll be an adaptation of 2009's The Bourne Deception, or 2016's The Bourne Enigma, or this year's The Bourne Vendetta, or next year's The Bourne Revenge. There is now such a glut of Bourne books that perhaps the character needs to be reset with a younger actor to get them all made. One thing to avoid, perhaps, is deepening the mythology too much. Treadstone proved that any appetite the character has for the Bourne franchise begins and ends with the character of Jason Bourne. We're already drowning in watered-down IP, so the thought of sitting through a spin-off property about the madcap adventures of Julia Stiles sounds absolutely exhausting. Most pressing of all, though, is making sure that there is a place for Jason Bourne in the current landscape. Since the peerless original Bourne trilogy ended, James Bond has lived and died and been bought by Jeff Bezos. The MCU burst into life, dominated the market and then slowly asphyxiated on its own bloat. The go-to action blockbuster reference for a long time was Mission: Impossible's maximalist stuntwork, but even that came unstuck in the end. We find ourselves in exactly the place we were at the start of the century. The action world has stagnated, and there is a window for something to come along and revolutionise the game. Jason Bourne already did this once. If he can come out of retirement and do it again, the investment will be more than worth it.
Geek Tyrant
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
NBCUniversal Locks Down the BOURNE and TREADSTONE Book Rights in Huge Deal, Eyes Future Projects — GeekTyrant
NBCUniversal just pulled off a massive move that could supercharge the future of one of Hollywood's most iconic action franchises. The company has officially acquired all rights, excluding publishing, to Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne and Treadstone book series, locking them in for good. That means Bourne isn't going anywhere, and more importantly, it opens the door wide for a new wave of high-octane film and TV projects. The acquisition didn't come easy. According to Variety, the deal was the result of a fierce bidding war with seven studios and streamers vying for the rights. Ultimately, a jaw-dropping nine-figure offer sealed the deal and brought the property back home to Universal. Peter Cramer, president of Universal Pictures, shared his excitement saying: 'Since its debut in 2002, the iconic Bourne franchise has reshaped the spy genre with groundbreaking films that set new standards for cinematic action. We're energized to continue expanding the Bourne universe into the future with exciting new stories for global audiences.' Jeffrey Weiner, chairman and CEO of Captivate Entertainment and executor of Ludlum's estate, added: 'We are thrilled that the 'Bourne' franchise will remain at Universal. We look forward to working with the Universal team to expand the Bourne franchise across Universal's varied platforms.' With this new chapter, Frank Marshall will continue producing upcoming installments. Marshall has been at the heart of the Bourne franchise since the beginning and will once again team up with Captivate's Jeffrey Weiner and Ben Smith to shepherd future stories. Universal has already brought us five Bourne films, starting with The Bourne Identity directed by Doug Liman, followed by The Bourne Supremacy , The Bourne Ultimatum , and Jason Bourne helmed by Paul Greengrass, and the spin-off The Bourne Legacy starring Jeremy Renner and directed by Tony Gilroy. Together, these films have hauled in over $1.64 billion at the global box office. NBCUniversal has also stretched the Bourne IP across video games, merchandise, and even a popular live-action theme park show at Universal Studios Orlando called The Bourne Stuntacular . This deal plants a major flag for Universal and hints at big things to come.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jason Bourne Movies Get Major Update for Matt Damon Series
The Jason Bourne franchise may be readying to return, with Variety reporting that NBCUniversal has acquired all the rights to Robert Ludlum's book series. What's the new Jason Bourne movie update? The deal, according to Variety, will see NBCUniversal gain all rights, excluding publishing, to the book series in perpetuity. Variety's report mentions that this now paves the way for 'new installments' for Matt Damon's Jason Bourne. While no official new movie was announced, it seems like NBCU has big plans for the franchise due to the sum they paid. No official terms were disclosed, but Variety's report notes that the deal came as part of a 'highly competitive bidding situation' that had upwards of seven offers. In the end, NBCU's offer, which is said to be 'a massive nine-figure proposal,' won out. 'Since its debut in 2002, the iconic Bourne franchise has reshaped the spy genre with groundbreaking films that set new standards for cinematic action,' said Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer. 'We're energized to continue expanding the Bourne universe into the future with exciting new stories for global audiences.' The Bourne film series began back in 2002, with The Bourne Identity, directed by Doug Liman and starring Damon in the titular role. The film franchise follows the titular Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin suffering from amnesia, played by Damon. The franchise is based on Ludlum's books, and has produced five films so far, the most recent of which was 2016's Jason Bourne. In total, the Bourne movie franchise is one of the most successful and popular in all of Hollywood. To date, the series has grossed over $1.6 billion, and also helped popularize the more gritty and realistic tones that action thrillers have adopted in the 2000s. (Source: Variety) The post Jason Bourne Movies Get Major Update for Matt Damon Series appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Solve the daily Crossword
NZ Herald
11-08-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
‘Husband seat' sitter follows suspicious man, mistaken for suspect
As an experienced Husband Seat Sitter – I have a cap with the initials HSS on it – I know you have to keep your mind occupied in such times of crisis. That's because there's no telling how long you are going to be out there. It could be hours. And you can't move. Do so, even to grab a quick coffee from that place just up the road, and you risk missing She Who Must Be Obeyed when she nips out to get you and take you back in to have a look at something because she needs your opinion. Then you're in big trouble. But I digress. So, I'm sitting there the other day and I'm running through the usual things I do to keep my mind occupied. I'd already gone through the list of World Cup winners from 1987 onwards and songs with the name of a US state in them – Carolina In My Mind and all that – and I see this bloke acting a little dodgy in between the row of parked cars in front of me. As I watched, he's wandered in and out casually looking in the back and, more than once, trying a door handle. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I'm a big believer in getting involved and not leaving everything to the cops. With that in mind, I've decided to go in for a closer look. So, as he's working his way along a row of maybe 12 cars, I've got up out of the Husband Seat and wandered casually as I can up the row towards him. As I go, I'm trying to see what he's doing without being noticed. I'm not sure if you've tried that yourself but if you have, I'm sure you'll agree it's not that easy. You sort of have to look past the subject in question but look at him/her at the same time, noting distinguishing features – eye patch, scar across cheek, green hair ... that sort of thing. Anyway. I've closed the gap between Dodgy Guy and myself to about a car length now. He's looked in my direction a couple of times but I've managed to look away just at the right time. I'm worried next time he'll twig to the fact he's being watched and make off. So I go all Jason Bourne and turn my back to him, hoping the reflection in the shop window I'm staring at will work just as well. It does. Apart from the fact I'm now staring hard out at a lingerie collection in the window of the womenswear shop I'm outside. Note to self: Mrs P has a birthday coming up. Ahem. Suddenly realising how odd I must look, I turn round to face Dodgy Guy again only to find him staring straight at me. This time I look past him and wave out to an imaginary contact across the street but it's no good. I've been rumbled. Dodgy Guy walks away. So I decide to follow, trying to stay maybe a discreet 15 yards behind. To be honest, I'm not even sure why I followed him. I'm not as young as I used to be so I don't know if I would have tackled him. Maybe I'd have shouted at him if he'd had success breaking into a car. Who knows. It seemed like I was following him for ages but in reality I'd say it was maybe five minutes, but it must have looked very weird to anybody watching. He crossed the road twice and each time he did so I followed, looking away whenever he checked behind him. Eventually he turned a corner and in the two-and-a-half seconds he was out of sight, he bolted. When I turned the corner, he was 50 yards away on his toes. He knew full well he'd been spotted. At that point I gave up and went back to the Husband Seat. That's when my tale of well-meaning took an interesting turn. No sooner had I sat down, a police car turned up and a very pleasant young lady hopped out and came over to talk to me. It seems she'd been nearby and there had been a report of a man matching my description behaving strangely in the street so she'd come to check me out.
