Tony Gilroy Says Jason Bourne Won’t Be In ‘The Bourne Legacy’

Will Matt Damon star in “The Bourne Legacy”? That’s the million dollar question on everyone’s minds.

Some clarity has arrived from Tony Gilroy himself who called Jeffrey Wells this morning (dude, our lines are open 24-7). Part of the impetus for the call was Gilroy wanting to clear up some information stated in Deadline’s original piece about Gilroy signing on to direct the script and the ‘Bourne’ Bible he’s been writing these last few months.

For starters while the title of this new film comes from a Robert Ludlum book Gilory told Wells, “[it] will not use [that] story. It’s a completely original screenplay.” Gilroy also confirms something that Universal told us months ago. “This is not a reboot or a recast or a prequel.”

So that million dollar question: will Damon star? “No one’s replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter…this is a stand-alone project,” Gilroy said trying to explain the new universe of his film, which sounds like it exists in the same timeline as Jason Bourne’s, but revolves around another Treadstone-like agent. Which is what we’ve been speculating all along. “The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal,” Gilroy said “Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he’s very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I’m building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy…the world we’re making enhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne’s return [down the road].”

“Everything you saw in the first three films actually happened, and everyone who got into them will be rewarded for paying attention. We’re going to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas. When you see what we’re going and see what we’re doing it’ll be pretty obvious….but Jason Bourne’s activities in the first three films is the immediate trigger.”

Sounds like not only an intriguing idea, but the kind of plausible one that someone like screenwriter Gilroy would dream up (he’s been the central architect on all the ‘Bourne’ films, writing all three, though it should be noted that several people share credit with him for the latter two films including Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi).

Note the “invites Jason Bourne’s return [down the road]” part of Gilroy’s clarification which is key. Clearly, Universal doesn’t want to close the chapter on Matt Damon’s return — this is their showpony franchise — but by stating that Jason Bourne is “alive” he’s not ruling out some sort of appearance either. Sources tell us that Jason Bourne is not in the script at all currently, but he could be if Damon was inclined to return.

You’ll recall we originally broke the news that Paul Greengrass was leaving the franchise and while Damon says he’s loyal to the director his agent Patrick Whitesell is already very anxious to get him a hit since there hasn’t been one in a while, arguably since, “The Bourne Ultimatum.” “Green Zone” was a total bomb, Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter” has already been savaged by critics and is about to go DOA in theaters, “The Adjustment Bureau” has been rescheduled several times and will likely be another dud when it arrives in theaters next year and that leaves the Coen Brothers’ “True Grit” which doesn’t have “hit” written on it at all, but it could become successful if it takes during Oscar season (though as “The Hurt Locker” can attest, Academy Awards wins and box-office success can be mutually exclusive).

When you think about it, all Damon need to convince him to appear in another ‘Bourne’ film (this one or any future ones) is a good script and Greengrass’ “blessing” and no one will fault him for taking the gig. However the actor is a man of integrity and he’s likely not going to do it if it doesn’t feel right.