The Robert Ludlum estate has been taking meetings with players including Skydance, Apple, and Netflix for a potential reboot of the spy franchise.
Jason Bourne Finds a New Home
Jason Bourne is emptying out his safe deposit box on the Universal lot. WME is shopping the rights to the spy franchise and the rest of the Robert Ludlum library on behalf of the late author’s estate.
The goal is to find a new home for the franchise and make the superspy a more regular presence onscreen. Bourne last appeared nearly a decade ago in Jason Bourne (2016), from Universal and producer Captivate Entertainment, which manages the film rights for the Ludlum estate. It is too early to say if longtime star Matt Damon would be involved in the new iteration.
Potential Buyers Emerge
Skydance, Apple, and Netflix are said to have met with the estate for the rights. Universal, too, could potentially win the rights back if it made an attractive bid.
The Legacy of Jason Bourne
Jason Bourne sprung from the mind of novelist Robert Ludlum, who published The Bourne Identity in 1980. Two decades later, star Matt Damon and director Doug Liman introduced him to the big screen with 2002’s The Bourne Identity. The film, arriving a few years before Daniel Craig’s grounded reinvention of James Bond with Casino Royale, ushered in a new era of spy movies that favored realism rather than high-tech gadgets.
The franchise expanded with two sequels based on Ludlum’s books, The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). Universal later attempted to extend the series with The Bourne Legacy (2012), featuring Jeremy Renner as a different character, but it did not resonate with audiences. Damon returned a few years later with Jason Bourne (2016), which grossed $415 million globally.
A Competitive Market for IP
The Bourne move comes as the land rush for intellectual property intensifies, with fewer and fewer known properties up for grabs. Recently, Amazon took control of James Bond from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
Universal had previously explored bringing Bourne back, with Conclave director Edward Berger hired in late 2023 to develop a new take. However, the project did not move forward quickly enough.
With major players vying for the rights, the future of Jason Bourne remains uncertain, but one thing is clear—Hollywood isn’t ready to let this spy disappear just yet.