Matt Damon says Bourne 5 is set in post-Snowden world

Matt Damon is soon to return to the Bourne franchise, having sat out the Jeremy Renner-starring Legacy, and according to the star, the fifth film in the series will be inspired by recent real-world happenings. As Damon explained to BuzzFeed, the Edward Snowden affair proved to be the inspiration he and director Paul Greengrass were looking for, with the events of 2013 having a significant influence on the plot of the new film.

“Without giving too much of it away, it’s Bourne through an austerity-riddled Europe and in a post-Snowden world,” explains Damon. “It seems like enough has changed, you know? There are all these kinds of arguments about spying and civil liberties and the nature of democracy.”

As is traditional with the Bourne movies, this latest outing will span various global locations, with even the choice of setting having a political context. “We’re starting in Greece, you know, the beginning of democracy,” explains Damon. “And the movie ends in Las Vegas, the most grotesque incarnation…” Bourne 5 will open in the UK and US on June 29, 2016.

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