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Bourne Legacy , the fourth instalment in the fist-bruising Bourne film franchise, was officially announced last week with the confirmation that screenwriter Tony Gilroy will be directing.
But rumours that Matt Damon will return for more conspiratorial jaw-busting have been swiftly squashed by Gilroy, who has revealed that this new film “is a stand-alone project”.
“It’s a completely original screenplay,” he says. “This is not a reboot or a recast or a prequel. No one’s replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter… this is a stand-alone project.”
Huh. So where do we go from here, then? Without Damon or Bourne, it’s arguable why a new film that doesn’t feature either would need the ‘Bourne’ part of the title (aside from a cynical merchandising stand-point).
Gilroy elaborates by explaining that even if Bourne isn’t present, Legacy will be very much set in his world – the world we know from Identity , Supremacy and Ultimatum .
“The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal,” he explains. “Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he’s very much alive. I’m building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy.
“Everything you saw in the first three films actually happened, and everyone who got into 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.”
