Universal Pictures has ended its search for the lead role in the Tony Giroy-directed The Bourne Legacy. The studio has offered Jeremy Renner the role to replace Matt Damon who played the highy trained operative in the first three Bourne films.

The past two years, Renner (28 Weeks Later, Thor) was nominated for two Oscars for his work in The Hurt Locker (2008) and The Town (2010).

Like the Jason Bourne character played by Matt Damon in the first three Bourne Identity thrillers, Renner will play an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne. Renner was one of the names rumored as the studio went through two cycles of tests over eight weeks to find the right guy. That decision was made today.

8 COMMENTS

  1. I for one, I think Jason Bourne should die with Matt Damon. Jeremy Renner is good enough to star in his own ‘Jem Renn’. Whatever name it is, they should please start a new series. I am personally, like Matt Damon himself, tired of hearing anything about Bourne and his ‘I can’t remember’ phrase. it was good while it lasted so they should just move on.

  2. I don’t know. Bourne is a great series. But nobody can do Bourne like Damon. I can say that without even seeing Renner. But if the writing stays strong it may be ok, but with Matt Damon leaving it’s hard to tell if they can keep up the standard of excellence.

    • I really don’t know about keeping up the standard. I mean, part of the standard is Matt Damon like you said yourself. Without him, part of the standard is missing, gone!
      You really think the next Bourne can be good? Would you see it in the theater or wait for it to come on DVD? Those are the questions that ring through my mind.

      • The first three were phenomenal and Renner was pretty good in The Town, so I’d want to see it in the theater. I’m still on the fence about how good it’ll be without Damon. He seems irreplaceable but there were at least a couple of Bond guys everybody liked before the whole series started going downhill. So maybe Renner can keep up the hype.

  3. Give me any Bourne, I will watch it. Put Medea as Jason Bourne and I will pay double to watch it. The filmmakers are that good and it doesn’t matter who is in the movie or what it’s called. Just watch it.

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