Here’s some advance warning – Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass are making a fourth Bourne film, so stock up on the motion sickness pills while you still can.
That’s right – although The Bourne Ultimatum seemed to end with a satisfyingly piece of trilogy closure, you can now be pretty sure it didn’t. Bourne 4 is on the way and there’s nothing anybody can do about it.
Best of all, Bourne 4 will be the first Bourne film not to be based on a Robert Ludlum novel. Phew, finally we won’t have to worry about plot or character development or anything – just endless scenes of Matt Damon jumping across buildings and arbitrarily punching people while being filmed by what appears to be a drunk Parkinson’s sufferer trying to operate a pneumatic drill on a trampoline on a boat in a storm. Perfect.
Probably the most overwhelming thing about the new James Bond movie – other than that it’s boring and a bit crap and it stars a witch – is all the comparisons to the Bourne movies it has received.
No longer is James Bond a charmingly witty man with a jetpack and an invisible car who just happens to be a spy – he’s now just an angry bloke who punches things and jumps across buildings. He’s basically Jason Bourne.
It’s this kind of influence – alongside the fact that every single new action movie has to have at least one Parkour scene in it – that has made the Bourne movies into a sensation and, confusingly, turned Matt Damon into a sex symbol.
Despite only being memorable because it featured a train station we go to a lot and a spectacular set of sideburns, The Bourne Ultimatum was a giant hit at the box office – so much so that Universal has ditched its plan to keep Bourne as a trilogy and instead opted to keep banging the buggers out until the thought of another Bourne movie makes people physically ill. MSNBC reports:
Universal will produce a fourth installment in the popular “The Bourne Identity” franchise. Damon will return as superspy Jason Bourne, and Paul Greengrass (who directed “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “The Bourne Supremacy”) is also on board for the new film. While the previous three “Bourne” movies have been based on the novels by Robert Ludlum, the latest chapter will be an original story.
We don’t envy whoever’s tasked with writing Bourne 4, because the script will somehow need to get around the fact that at the end of The Bourne Ultimatum, Matt Damon uncovered all the secrets of his past, vowed to change and actually said the words “I am no longer Jason Bourne.”
So, in the spirit of fairness, we’d like to share three options that we think could reverse Bourne 4 out of the dead-end it has obviously found itself in…
1) After jumping into the East River at the end of The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne bangs his head on a fish and loses his memory all over again. Title – The Bourne Misfortune.
2) Even though the conspiracy over his identity reaches all the way to the highest echelons of the US government, Jason Bourne soon finds out that it goes even further, so he travels to heaven to have a shaky-camera fistfight with God. Title – The Bourne Divinity.
3) After saying “I am no longer Jason Bourne” at the end of The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne realises that, actually, his passport, driving license, bank account, gym membership and National Trust patronage card all bear the name Jason Bourne and decides that he can’t really be arsed to go through all the rigmarole of changing them back to his original name. Title – The Bourne Kerfuffle.
Once again Universal, you’re welcome.
Dermot Muncher says
“although The Bourne Ultimatum ended with a satisfyingly ambiguous scene where Matt Damon may have possibly drowned, you can now be pretty sure he didn’t”
erm..i take it you got up and left before he broke into a swim and all ended happily ever after then?
Stuart Heritage says
Very possibly. But I’ve changed it now, just to make you happy.
And also to make your comment look weird and out of place. I WIN FOREVER!
Chris Laverty says
Being as Ultimatum was essentially a re-run of Supremacy, how about Bourne Again Again? Or The Bourne Banality. Or Fletch.
gir says
Damon suggested “The Bourne Redundancy” during his promotional interviews. I think that sounds good.
Julian Mentat says
Logically, I would expect Jason Bourne to now be satisfied with his own identity, and to open a 1-man detective agency to offer his hard-won skills to other people who are also in a state of confusion.
For example, he could jump from buildings and fight agents to the death while finding his neighbour’s mislaid bus-pass.
AT says
What I find funny is the “Bourne 4 will be the first Bourne film not to be based on a Robert Ludlum novel.” Well, actually the first three really didn’t have much in common with the books at all, minus the amnesia in France and a girl named Marie. Even the movie had Marie’s last name as different than the book. So technically, this fourth movie will still be based off the characters from the book.
What I would like to see is a set of movies that are actually based off Ludlum’s original Bourne story.
And I personally can’t wait to see a fourth one.
Dermot Muncher says
God damn you Stuart!!
David Webb says
Stuart Heritage is a fantastic journalist.
dev says
ok Stuart..so what are you implying exactly?, that a 4th bourne should not be made!! well some people ..i guess who reasons like u do..said that a 3rd person should not be made or will be bollocks after they saw the Bourne Supremacy..but hey what do you know..the Bourne Ultimatum kicked arse..and about the shaky camera man,Paul greengrass is not directing Gone With the Wind here..its Bourne we talkin about..so the kind of filmin he did was perfect..move along with Bourne durin the whole movie..
but hey (again) you guys just need to write some bullSh*t..
i bet after the bourne 4..you will write..it was not bad..it could have been better..which means or will mean that enjoyed it..but just cannot admit it..
let’s wait and see
thank you..f u and have a nice day!!
schischa says
I don’t really understand your problem. the bourne series was one of the very few where every movie was a really good one. the stories were well developed and after the first movie they had nothing more in common with the books than the title. as far as I remember in the books everything is about getting the jackal and the ultimatum book ends with the grand finale.
I am very happy to see that a 4th bourne movie is made, as the scribes, the director and of course matt damon have returned
Mark C says
Hes one of the most efficient killers in the world you think every bodies just gonna leave him alone. cant wait for the next one
Pjoenss says
Ya’ll leave Stuart alone…he was simply breat-fed a little longer than most, thats all….
Bourne 4…can’t wait…for Bourne is the shizitzzu!
Steve says
Ever eaten ice cream, you know there is a point when enjoying it where you think this is great.
But there is some leftover and so you eat it, but no long after you, you wish you hadn’t. Because that feeling of “wow” is forever gone.
That effect is called “greed”… Also Know As Bourne 4
lalala says
i dont care what the 4th move is about,as long as its good as the last one i am happy. so what if it goes further and becomes another james bond kind of thing.
i just care about getting a kick out of it.
Andy Etienne says
Start Jason Bourne 4 from it’s true beginning. How he opted to become Jason Bourne from David Webb, and where did he come from and why did Nikki say in Ultimatum that it was hard for her with him, did they have something going on before his amnesia and so forth, his first mission, Neski in Berlin, Wombosi when he lost his memory, well you get the point. Who and what was he before becoming Jason Bourne aka “Jason Bourne Genesis”.
Dennis says
How about “The Bourne Consequences” for the fourth part. Bourne left hell-of-a mess around all the places he’s being, and the situation is becoming a global political scandal which reaches all the way back to the CIA and NSA and even the president of U.S. Now bourne is still lost, even thou he found who he is and declared he’s no longer Jason Bourne, but the world is not going to take any chances. International political pressure forces the president to order the new Director of CIA, Pamela Landy, who’s being recently promoted, to find and take bourne into U.S custody. Even tho David Webb declared he’s no longer Jason Bourne, which means he doesn’t have anything to do with CIA anymore, the CIA is still coming back to get him, this time the order is directly from the top, the president. David Webb will be once again, forced to be Jason Bourne in order to survive. “The Bourne Consequences” will not be about hardcore fist fight or jumping between buildings, but will be more of a political thriller type. This time the name of the game is to be stealthy, not noisy. Webb will have to do his best to evade the CIA agents by staying low key, constantly switiching between identities, everything you can think of in a covert stealth operation.
Rob says
In the 4th bourne, they bring back Marie (it wasn’t really her body) and she and there’s a love triangle between her and Nicki and Borne. Ultimately Pam Landy kills off both of them and her and Borne live happily ever after. And he becomes President.
Joe Schmoe says
1 – I liked 3 the best. Cinema snobs may flinch, but it was fun, and that’s why I go to the movies.
2 – The similarities to the books are: well, I can’t think of any really… so like another commenter said, the 4th won’t really be all that different.
So I am looking forward to 4. And 5.
Dean says
This seems almost like the bourne haters group. If you don’t like the movie go find one you do like and promote it. There are obviously a lot of people who did like the ultimatum and I can’t wait for the next one. Why do they have to stop at 3 and why does the story have to be written by ludlow? These denoting statements all sound like petty nonsense. I don’t see how one can wake up and can’t wait to see who and how someone has responded to there trashing opinion of someone’s work, just seems like you have too much time on your hands. And with that though I have spent way too much time here, this is five minutes of my life I can’t get back…. DAMMIT!
Jimmy says
Stuart I bet you were picked on if you went through public schooling. Too bad you never made anything of yourself and your only job is to hate on people that have actually achieved in life. Tell me where you are so I can come and punch you in the face.
George says
Wow…first and last time I read anything that this Stu Hermitage writes. You don’t like the Bourne trilogy? That’s all I need to know that you know nothing about great movies. Amazing that nonsense like this this gets paid for.
John says
What a horrible article. If you didnt like the series then go find some other movie to write about. You attack a series that was able to excite an audiance throughout the whole movie. You’re an idiot.
Joan Henn says
I totally agree with John. That article was horrible. To call the
reviewer an idiot is mild. I would have said something a lot stronger. The reviewer certainly loves movies that are written
for mass production and wouldn’t know a good movie if it bit her.
Kevin says
Is this your friends site and you guys just hang out and get really high and talk about how smart you are? I know people like you. How’s community college going for you? Just think, only 4 more years and you’ll be done!
Tim H. says
I really like the Bourne series. For your criticism about lack of plot. All 3 films could be edited together to make one film. So for fans like me who have seen all 3 films. WE get the overall plot is woven throughout all 3 films. Which is a man who under the pretense of doing patriotic duty for his country. Joins an elite service. He is subsequently brain washed into a killer on command with no conscience. That is the back story learned from watching all 3 films. The films begin with Bourne/Damon being fished out of ocean after being shot. We later learn his breaking point was attempting to kill a man marked for assassin in front of his children. This sets Bourne’s programmed wiring into disarray and amnesia. Now off the ranch and trying to discover who and what he has done in name of government. The CIA needs to shutdown Bourne and coverup what later is found to be a corrupt/illegal black Op’s operation. Which we later find out in 2nd film was used for personal and professional gain by the CIA head’s running the black op’s operation. The third film finally reveals Bourne’s full memory of how and why he joined the CIA program. The fact the program is still continuing after being shut down under a new name and CIA head. The continued efforts of CIA to coverup operation and Bourne’s final confrontation with the CIA head who mislead him into the black op’s program. Interspersed throughout films are of course chase/action sequences as CIA/government types trys to stop Bourne who is always cleverly one step ahead of them. Interwoven in all 3 films is the emotional toll Bourne has carried as he realizes the deeds he has perfromed as assassin Bourne and the ramifications of confronting that reality. Now that seems like a pretty multi-layered plot to me for what are ACTION film’s. The fact all 3 films in my opinion are entertaining is a credit to the filmmakers who by this time could have just mailed in #3 and made money. As for not being like books… I don’t care cause after first 2 books the books aren’t that good. The jerky camera work does not bother me and in fact makes for re-seeing the film’s worth while. Yeah I am a fan but what I have noticed because of popularity of series. A small minority meaning you Stuart have come out making fun of the series mainly because it seems “COOL” to criticise something that is popular. I have no problem if you don’t like the films. But your critisism that there is no plot etc… Is just wrong. I hope #4 is good but understand it’s being made because #3 made alot of money. Based on track record I give Damon and filmmakers the benefit of doubt. I also disagree with your take on Damon. I think Damon is a fine actor and part of the series popularity is Damon doesn’t look like an action star. Does a small asian man look like a martial arts artist who can kick your azz? NO, but he will still kick your azz.
Akeem says
Well…about Bourne movies with Paul Greengrass…I don’t think it was such a good idea after all. 1st he killed Mary Kreuz,on Supremacy…then he tried to put Bourne & Nikki Parsons,as ex lovers on Bourne Ulitmatum…when they actually don’t have any connection at all. Remembered on Supremacy,when Nikki said we talking about killing Bourne. Who knows what stupid ideas he will have this time?! Akeem
Tim H. says
You don’t even know the story… First the whole drive! Plot momentum to get Bourne pissed off to go after CIA black ops controller’s in Supremacy was the killing of his GF. Without that there is no movie. Greengrass never tried to put Bourne and Nikki together. There was no sex/romantic scene. There was a moment where Nikki reminded Bourne of Mary in Ultimatum. Fact is Nikki worked for CIA from beginning and was Bourne’s controller. There was the scene in diner where it was suggested that Bourne and Nikki had a “thing” going on before he lost his memory. Which he had no recollection. Which if you back track makes PERFECT sense because Nikki is an attractive woman. She was his controller and Bourne being under a semblance of brain washing would have been sexually attracted to Nikki since she was his controller for CIA. Who else was he gonna “fuck?” She saw how CIA mind “f_cked” Bourne and the others in first film. Nikki was still in that upstairs safe house when Bourne killed almost everyone and let her live several times throughout series. Nikki was still a young opeartive. Fact is this series is very good and better than 80% of the junk hollywood churns out. Why people who are in a minority continue try bashing this series is beyond my understanding. How many triology’s out there were all good films? Answer: NOT VERY FREAKING MANY!!!
heinnlinn says
I’ve just finished watching all 3 Bournes yesterday.
Before yesterday, I always thought they wouldn’t be so good. And I never bothered to watch or ask about them. Guess what.. I found out I was wrong the whole time!
It was a really fantastic series. The first one, perfect.. so I was afraid, the 2nd won’t be good, like the others, but it didn’t, in fact, it gets better and better untill the very end of the 3rd one.
It has to be put into my all-time favorite action-thriller movies. And I am definitly gonna pay to watch the 4thin the cinema (which I very rarely do). I will sure as hell be in the DVD store as soon as it comes out. I will sure as hell be enjoying that.
Can’t wait anymore for it.
Vik says
I think the Bourne movies are the best actions movies ever made and even up there on the list of best movies ever. Typically action movies have no point except action, which is a stupid point, but these are good way down to the core. The shakiness bothers some people which is fine but I think it helps set the mood. I don’t know much about Matt Damon as a person and I hope he isn’t as conceited as you say he is. I hate it when actors who play awesome characters turn out to be jerks. Most movies I’ve seen that are only made because the previous ones have made loads of money are pretty lame and I hope the fourth Bourne movie won’t be like that. I hate it when they ruin my favorite movies that way.
nonya(DJD) says
Julia Stiles … Nicolette Needs to also continue, there is something between Jason and Nicolette that wasn’t brought out in the series.
PHANIE BENITEZ says
ABOUT TIME WE WAITED SO LONG FOR THIS FOURTH-LOGY !!
ihateu says
man…your an idiot…
your opinion iz just shit…
and…nobody cares…
girl says
It doesnt matter how attractive Nikki is and that she is a CIA operative. In Supremacy she was scared of Bourne. Also she wasnt his controller, she just worked for the CIA and was a member of the Treadstone team. I was extremely disappointed in the last one. I feel the movie would of been better if Julia Stiles were not in it. Not that I don’t like her but her character wasnt well developed and the suggestion that they had been lovers, in my opinion, makes no sense and didn’t flow well with the story line.Honestly i kept hoping to see her get killed.
I no Maria had to die in order to have two sequels. I do like the way Jason missed her in both sequels and how the stories kept reminding you of her. Cause in my opinion the love story between Jason and Maria is what made the movies so powerful. I hope like hell that Nikki isn’t in the 4th. Hopefully Julia deems herself to popular of an actress to waste her time on the latest sequel.
Jason Bourne says
Well its not a re-run seeing as they were 1 in each other. The end of the supremacy was the middle of Ultimatum. So not really again..but if u say so.
Dariyan says
okay a couple things i have to say here- first of all the game (the Bourne Conspiracy) had more to do with the books than the movies had. Then again it doesnt change the fact that the movies were amazing. They were wholly entertaining and were more thrillers than action films. If you are going to insult a film, try and do a film that isnt great and didn’t make millions of dollars- u Simon Cowell wannabee.
Takeo says
I just cant believe some of these people here. Fact of the matter is that The Bourne Ultimatum is problably the best third installment of any movie series to this day. Excellent, cant wait for a fourth one..
Orion357 says
How about this. David Webb has long since returned to a quiet life with a wife and child. He is earning a living teaching at university in their international studies area. One day while shopping, the area he and his family are at falls victim to a terrorist bombing. resulting in his wife and child being killed and Webb seriously injured. After spending several weeks in a coma he awakens. The physicians attending to him along with Joan Allen (still with the CIA) being aware of his former amnesia, wonder what recognition and recollection he has of the events. If anything he is even more lucid. Allen and Damon’s characters look at one and other for a long time. He then breaks the silence by saying “I will be who ever you need me to be”. He then sets out to find the terrorists who committed the crime.
Title: The Bourne Resurrection
Keshav Dahiya says
I think it will be called Bourne Deception…..or any amt of zillion names mentioned above !
All in all I like the bourne movies, just coz they rock !
Gipper80 says
Bourne movies rock,im siked that there is a 4 and saw the book,did not read,called Bourne Legacy,that should be the title.i wonder if nikki parsons was his lady before it all happened and if i was him,id hook up with Landy before going back with Parsons,thats just me
Akeem says
Girl,ur absolutely right. Jason & Marie,made the movie strong. They love’s not classic,but they had chemistry. Nikki & Jason,is so lame. I’m so dissapointed in Greengrass. Even Bourne reflection on Marie,is better than Bourne & Nikki,chatting in that restaurant together.
Rachel K. says
i highly doubt the forth one will be any good.
but then again you never know i love those movies.
Sid says
whoever wrote this crap seems 2 be either a big BIG BIG loser or maybe he’s just gay…cuz the series is great and it aint ne chick flick.if ur bored of the movies…maybe u shud just stop watching them and watch…maybe sound of music..u fuckin cunt!bourne rules…the 3rd movie got 3 oscars if u even know that!hahahahaha….ur pathetic
Akeem says
1st of all I’m not letting the bourne trylogi down. There’s nobody loves this trylogi more than me. The problem I hv is 3fold. #1 The CIA,wasent after Jason,it was Abbot who betrayed the CIA,that led the chase after Jason. Thinking it was him that killed those 2 agents in Berlin. #2 Mary didn’t hv to die…CIA was not even after Jason Bourne. I know they hv to make story,so they’ve kill Mary for their story. #3 Paul Greengrass just making the movie with his own ideas,without thinking about the consequences…without thinking about the audience… by making Jason & Nikki,ex lovers…in Ultimatimum. I mean come on! Where’s the connection between Bourne & Nikki,in the 1st 2 movies?! Both movies she wants Bourne dead! Who knows what stupid ideas P Greengrass might have this time? You were right about 1 thing though…this trilogy is not like any Hollywood bias. Thank God, for Matt Damon.
ME says
“just endless scenes of Matt Damon jumping across buildings and arbitrarily punching people while being filmed by what appears to be a drunk Parkinson
Johnny says
Ok we can tell that Stuart Heritage does not have a clue about what he’s talking about. Trying to diss a film that EVERYONE LOVES is not going to go well… Bourne 4 would be the sickest thing ever and mr heritage should probably shut up
Knowledge says
I absolutely love this series! I watch it almost 24/7 like an ongoing marathon. I even have all the books now because I couldn’t get enough. It was my heart’s desire for them to make a 4th and 5th one (if they have the same actor – Bourne, director and screen-play writer. I’ve brainwashed myself with this series. When I leave the house, I go covert and the theme music plays in my mind
I AM BOURNE!
– can’t wait.
J says
Though I love this film….
still…
Bourne: One More Time (and maybe more)
Matt Damon says
Hey buddy, if you think that Bourne trilogy s*cks, why do you waste some time talkin about the 4th one…. And why the f*ck did you listen to the 3rd one… let me guest, i bet you ll listen to the fourth one around hummmmmm, 10 times, cause you seems to have time to waste….
euclid says
Bourne Again
Alex Hunter (AU21 operative) says
The Bourne Secrecy
Jason Bourne discovers a plot underlined and overseen by the shadows of Conklan and Ward Abbot’s associates to carry out the Black Briar program despite the media involvement and discovery. Several Black Briar agents have already been trained and lay dead in waiting for their activation after they were shut down three years after Bourne’s walkout of Treadstone. Suddenly, when Bourne is ready to go back to his life in england, his name appears once again in the news; someone believed to have had the names of the hiding Black Briar agents still active and reported to have been a friend of Jason Bourne winds up dead in a plane crash caused by an on-land stinger missile assault in Tripoli. Jason decides to look into it, but before he can even leave his apartment, he is attacked by an unidentified agent who happened to have a photo id and Treadstone archives on-hand. Where does it all point to? Someone out there is trying to finish a plot started by insider government influentials, and the worse part is that Jason later learns that about half of his hits were in favor of this plot. Now he has to work to destroy the last of his nightmares and figure out exactly which missions of his were used to forward the agenda,and who all is involved,while running from dangerous Black Briar operatives hidden all over.
rahul misra says
verygood
Ice says
Personally I think the whole idea of Bourne and Nikki having some past forgotten love affair is completely ludicrous. Rather, the Bourne / Nikki dynamic could manifest itself in another way. I think Bourne #4 will most likely be about someone hunting Nikki or Landy as revenge for the help they gave Bourne in #3. This would be similar to the ending of Hitman where Agent 47 keeps tabs on Nica because people are still trying to kill her. In this instance, Bourne already feels bad about getting one woman killed and maybe he thinks it’s his duty to protect these American girl’s lives because they wouldn’t be in trouble if it wasn’t for him crossing their path?
Whatever the plot may be, there are not really many options left. My best guess is he pissed off someone higher up than the CIA who was pulling the strings (think the movie Red) and that person / people want to retaliate by killing Nikki or Landy because, after all, he wouldn’t have figured everything out without their help.