Bourne Again: Universal Set to Develop Sixth Jason Bourne Film

Universal is breathing new life into the action-thriller world with a revival of its highly popular Jason Bourne franchise. Per Deadline, a brand new Bourne film is reportedly in its early stages of development at Universal Pictures, with Academy Award-winning director Edward Berger to oversee development and direction.

Edward Berger rose to acclaim with his rendition of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1928 World War I novel, ‘All Quiet on the Western Front.‘ The film clinched four Oscars earlier this year, including accolades for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, and Best International Film.

While the director is still in talks with Universal, if the deal does manage to go through, Berger would join an impressive roster of ‘Bourne‘ directors, a list that includes Doug Liman (2002’s “The Bourne Identity”), Paul Greengrass (2004’s “The Bourne Supremacy,” 2007’s “The Bourne Ultimatum,” and 2016’s “Jason Bourne”), and Tony Gilroy (“The Bourne Legacy”).

Matt Damon in ‘Jason Bourne’ (2016) | Image: Universal Pictures

For Universal, The Bourne franchise is a juggernaut that has consistently generated impressive box-office revenue and earned critical acclaim. Matt Damon first starred as the titular Jason Bourne in 2002’s The Bourne Identity, directed by Doug Liman.

Damon’s Bourne is a man washed ashore with gunshot wounds and no recollection of his past, who later uncovers his true identity as a former covert agent for a top-secret U.S. intelligence program. The series, based on author Robert Ludlum’s books, spawned an initial trilogy completed with 2004’s The Bourne Supremacy and 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum, both directed by Paul Greengass.

Matt Damon in ‘Jason Bourne’ (2016) | Image: Universal Pictures

The long-running series is now gearing up for its sixth installment, which will be Berger’s yet-to-be-named Bourne movie. It will mark the first movie since 2016’s ‘Jason Bourne,’ which was a direct sequel to 2007’s ‘The Bourne Ultimatum.’ As of writing, there’s no script in the pipeline, and the film hasn’t even locked in a writer yet. Furthermore, there’s no word on whether Universal is planning to bring back the original cast or go for a full-on franchise reboot.

However, according to Deadline, Matt Damon would be Universal’s top choice to reprise the iconic role once the script is finalized. As of now, Damon is not committing to the project until everything is “executed perfectly,” particularly a compelling script and story.