The Bourne franchise is an action-packed film series revolving around a CIA amnesiac assassin who seeks to uncover his identity and discover who he really is. Based on the novels by Robert Ludlum, the Bourne franchise features a total of five films so far and a prequel television series called Treadstone that was, per Screen Rant, canceled for a number of reasons. The main character is portrayed by Matt Damon in all films except The Bourne Legacy. The franchise has been subject to both critical and commercial success as The Bourne Ultimatum took home a total of three Academy Awards and both Ultimatum and Supremacy won the Empire Award for Best Film.

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With five films already under its belt, it would seem that no one can get enough of the action. In the era where films like John Wick rock the box-office, the Bourne franchise is a classic, but some have wondered if Universal will seize the opportunity to pursue a sequel. That said, the Bourne films were made in a different era of filmmaking, with very different action standards compared to what we see today. As much as Bourne fans would love for a sequel to arise, some fans believe that the franchise has run its course. The question on everyone’s mind now is: will a Jason Bourne 6 ever really happen?

Updated October 24, 2022: If you love Jason Bourne, you’ll be happy to know we’ve updated this article with new info surrounding the franchise.

Jason Bourne Isn’t Getting Any Younger

     Pearl Street Films

While the franchise has become a touchstone in the action genre, setting the base for many films that would follow, it’s been a full decade since the release of The Bourne Identity. While that might not mean much to most, in the action world, it means a great deal. Jason Bourne, as skilled as he is, is not as young as he used to be and physically may not be as capable as he once was. This could mean the end is in sight for the Bourne franchise. However, Universal could take Bourne out of the main action and make him more of a teacher to a younger generation. Much like how Sylvester Stallone retired his Rocky character from the Rocky franchise in favor of the young Adonis in Creed. With this, the Rocky franchise has still been allowed to continue with Rocky’s role being changed from a main player to a mentor. While Matt Damon is not nearly as old as Sylvester Stallone, this change of pace for Jason Bourne could be a potentially good direction for Universal to take the franchise.

Director Paul Greengrass Will Not Be Involved

     Universal Pictures

Paul Greengrass worked alongside Matt Damon for The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum and most recently Jason Bourne. The pair have enjoyed working together, with Greengrass admiring Damon’s dedication to the role, while Damon has often sung Greengrass’ praises when it comes to his approach to the Bourne franchise. While Greengrass has admitted that he would like to see a Jason Bourne sequel, he has doubts about whether he will have any involvement in the project. Considering the fact that Greengrass had already stepped back as director once for The Bourne Legacy, it’s not unlikely that Universal will attempt to carry on the franchise without him. However, that may prove to be more difficult than previously anticipated, considering how key, per Inverse, the creative chemistry between Damon and Greengrass has been to the franchise’s success.

Speaking of Greengrass, we do know he is now set to direct an adaptation of Stephen King’s epic Fairy Tale. The novel’s storyline involves an intrepid teenager with a troubled family life, a magical but dangerous alternate reality, and a battle of good and evil. It will be interesting to see a director who specializes in real-life dramatizations take on a fantasy project.

Potential Casting Disputes

While most people associate the name of Jason Bourne and the resulting franchise with Damon, he has not starred in every single Bourne film. The Bourne Legacy, starring Jeremy Renner, features no live footage of Damon as Jason Bourne, as Damon had chosen to step away from the project because Greengrass was not lined up to direct. This disappointed a great many fans as Damon playing the title role is the main draw to the films. How can you have a Bourne movie without Jason Bourne? As a result, The Bourne Legacy is considered the worst installation in the franchise. While Damon returned in 2016 for Jason Bourne, this was because Greengrass returned as director. As stated above, Greengrass feels that his time working on the franchise has run its course. With Damon’s history of only wanting to work with Greengrass, it’s entirely possible that Damon may refuse to return to the character due to Greengrass’ absence. Since The Bourne Legacy was such a fantastic flop, it’s reasonable to believe that if Damon has no wish to return to the Bourne character, the franchise may have already come to a close.

Bourne’s Impact on Other Franchises

The Bourne franchise has certainly influenced the craft more currently universes, namely Star Wars on Disney+. Tony Gilroy helmed The Bourne Legacy, and his widely acclaimed Andor is currently airing new episodes. The hit series feels like a breath of fresh air within the Star Wars universe, telling a grounded, compelling story that doesn’t require an extensive knowledge of the universe. With Andor, Gilroy explores the infrastructural dynamics of the Empire while asking practical questions about the universe’s day-by-day operations. The titular character, played by Rogue One star Diego Luna, seems to be the galaxy far far away’s own Jason Bourne, as confirmed by Gilroy. We hope a second season follows suit!