The Jason Bourne franchise will remain at Universal "in perpetuity," with plans to expand it into an entire "universe"

After a bidding war for the film rights to author Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne franchise, Universal Pictures will retain the rights "in perpetuity," per Deadline. That doesn't include the rights to the novels, though Universal has stated plans to expand the venerable action film series into an entire "universe" - a growing media trend.

The film rights to the Jason Bourne franchise lapsed earlier this year, according to the trade, with the Ludlum estate taking them back. This led to a bidding war in which Universal won the rights back. Universal also won the film rights for Treadstone, another book series spun-off from the Bourne franchise, which was previously adapted into a short-lived TV show on the USA Network.

"Since its debut in 2002, the iconic Bourne franchise has reshaped the spy genre with groundbreaking films that set new standards for cinematic action," says Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer in a statement. "We're energized to continue expanding the Bourne universe into the future with exciting new stories for global audiences."

Universal hasn't quite specified what "expanding the Bourne universe" means, but in many cases this indicates plans for spin-offs and side projects, something reinforced by Treadstone also being part of the deal.

"We are thrilled that the Bourne franchise will remain at Universal," adds Jeffrey Weiner, chairman & CEO of Captivate Entertainment and the executor of Ludlum’s estate. "We look forward to working with the Universal team to expand the Bourne franchise across Universal's varied platforms."

Matt Damon played Jason Bourne in 2002's The Bourne Identity, 2004's The Bourne Supremacy, and 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum. Jeremy Renner took over as the lead in 2012's The Bourne Legacy, while Damon then returned for the final film in the franchise so far, simply titled Jason Bourne.

Damon has previously expressed interest in reprising his role for a sixth film, but no plans have yet come to fruition. It's unclear whether he'll return for the relaunched franchise, though Deadline states that filmmaker Frank Marshall will continue his association with the Bourne franchise, while a script for a new film is in the works from writer Joe Barton.

We'll have to wait for news of when the Bourne franchise may return. But in the meantime, you can check out our picks for the 25 best action movies.