Jason Bourne director Paul Greengrass says he may be done with the series

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Following the release of The Bourne Identity in 2002, we saw plenty of imitators emerge to take advantage of the kinetic hard-hitting action sequences found in the film, and the influence of Bourne was even felt in the James Bond franchise with Casino Royale, so it's safe to say that Bourne really did change the face of action cinema for a time. The Bourne Identity was followed by the release of The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Legacy, and Jason Bourne, but at the moment, the franchise seems to be in limbo.

With the exception of The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Legacy, the bullk of the franchise has been directed by Paul Greengrass, but while speaking with The Playlist, the director revealed that while he doesn't really know what Universal's plans for the franchise are at the moment, he does seems to think that he's done with the franchise.

It hasn’t come up recently, so I actually don’t know what their plans are. I’m sure they’ll make more “Bourne” movies, I hope so. I don’t know whether I’ll be involved, but I’ve done my stint really, haven’t I? Let’s be honest. But I love a “Bourne” movie, and I love the actor, and I wish them well, you know. The truth of it. I’d be first in line, that’s for sure.

Although Jason Bourne did fairly well at the box-office, it didn't exactly hit the same chord with critics and audiences as the original trilogy did, so perhaps it's best to let the franchise lay dormant, at least for a while. Franchise producer Frank Marshall has previously said that he'd like to bring the franchise back with a fresh story and a new director. "I do like the Bourne series," Marshall said, "and I do think that’s an opportunity for different filmmakers to come in now. So, I’m hoping that we can find a new story for Bourne and a new filmmaker. We are looking." The Jason Bourne franchise also made the leap to the small-screen last year with Treadstone, which was centered around the fictional CIA black ops program Operation Treadstone that created Jason Bourne in the feature-film series. Using behaviour modification protocols, the covert program is able to turn recruits into highly skilled assassins, and the first season of Treadstone will follow several sleeper agents across the world as they're mysteriously awakened in order to resume their deadly missions. The series was cancelled after one season earlier this year.