The Bourne series became a tremendous success thanks to the brilliant casting of Matt Damon as the amnesiac agent being relentlessly pursued across the globe by various assassins. Paul Greengrass took the directorial reigns for the second and third films, and with his unique "shaky cam" directorial style, helped reinvent the modern action movie in a gritty and visceral way. The third film, The Bourne Ultimatum, appeared to finish Jason Bourne's narrative arc in a satisfying fashion, but due to the universal critical acclaim and mighty box office draw, Universal knew they couldn't let the old dog die just yet. For years, discussions about a fourth film abounded, though this hit a road block when Greengrass confirmed he would not return for another film, at which point Damon also flat-out refused to be a part of it. As a result, the fourth film, The Bourne Legacy, focused on a new agent, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), while Bourne writer Tony Gilroy took the directing reins. The results were mixed to say the least, and the box office was decent if unremarkable compared to what Ultimatum grossed. Bourne 5 is reportedly starring Renner once again, with Fast and Furious director Justin Lin helming. One has to ask: is there really much point? Bourne's story was distinctly concluded at the end of Ultimatum, and Cross' narrative was a bit of a bust last time.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
