Spoiler Alert: If you want to see “The Bourne Legacy” without knowing particular details stop reading now and come back after you have seen the movie. This article contains details related to Matt Damon’s involvement, or lack thereof, in “The Bourne Legacy.
Where is Jason Bourne?
The three previous films in the ‘Bourne’ action franchise have tracked the whereabouts of super-soldier turned vengeance seeker Jason Bourne played by Matt Damon. Each film followed Bourne as he shot, punched and parkour’ed his way toward the answers to his guilt ridden conscious and dodgy memories.
When last we saw Jason Bourne, in “The Bourne Ultimatum,” he was swimming away after surviving an attempt on his life by Vosen (David Straithairn). Where Bourne went from there is unknown and “The Bourne Legacy” is sketchy on the details.
Matt Damon in “The Bourne Legacy?”
No, Matt Damon is not in “The Bourne Legacy.” Fans hoping for a cameo by Damon, maybe a post-credits visit with Jeremy Renner’s Bourne-esque super soldier Aaron Cross, will be disappointed. However, the ghost of Jason Bourne lives in the universe of “The Bourne Legacy.”
First, we see pictures of Jason Bourne scattered amongst files related to the secret operation that created him. As the film progresses and we get to know the story that has Aaron Cross running for his life references to Jason Bourne being alive and in New York City surface.
A nod to the fans
In the biggest nod to fans of the Bourne franchise a dialogue passage featuring Edward Norton’s murderous bureaucrat progresses from revealing Jason Bourne is alive and back in New York to a reference to a car chase and shoot out involving Bourne.
It is only an allusion, we only hear about the car chase, but for fans savvy enough to know that Damon passed on being part of a ‘Bourne’ movie without his chosen director, Paul Greengrass; it is the best you can hope for.
Sequel hopes alive
Keeping Jason Bourne alive in the ‘Bourne’ movie universe; even going as far as giving him an off-screen subplot, stokes the fire for Damon’s sequel return. Producer Frank Marshall has further fanned the flames by stating that he wants a Damon-Renner/Bourne-Cross team up for the sequel.
Will Damon come back? He has not closed the door on the idea; he was close to being in “The Bourne Legacy” before Greengrass was passed up as director. If Greengrass is brought back to direct you can bet Damon will return as well. Without Greengrass, a Jason Bourne comeback becomes hazy as a Jason Bourne memory flash.
