Though the last movie in the franchise,The Bourne Legacy, debuted in 2012, we haven’t seenMatt DamonasJason Bournein eight years, since he last played the character in 2007’sThe Bourne Ultimatum. And whenBourne 5hits theaters in July of 2016, almost a full decade will have gone by. That’s a lot of time, and a lot has changed in the world. Especially when it comes to civil liberties and democracy. In a new interview, Matt Damon confirms that these themes will be at the forefront of the new story his team is setting out to tell.
No real plot details have been released forBourne 5. Though, themain castis starting to come together, with newcomersTommy Lee JonesandAlicia Vikanderjoining thesequelearlier this year. AndJulia Stilesis returning to reprise her role as Bourne allyNicky Parsonsfrom previous installments. Though, these previous cast announcements have failed to even give one clue about where this latest adventure is heading. Now,Matt Damonis starting to hint at what we might see next summer.
BuzzFeedcaught up with the actor just as he was starting to roll out on hisThe Martianpress tour. He doesn’t make any qualms about the difficulties in resurrecting Jason Bourne for a new decade.Paul Greengrass, who directed the second film in the series, 2004’sThe Bourne Supremacy, and then returned for the third installmentThe Bourne Ultimatum, is back behind the helm. Collaborating with his leading man, the pair struggled to find a compelling plot in a Post-George W. Bush era. But the Edward Snowden scandal gave the pair new inspiration.
“Without giving too much of it away, it’s Bourne through an austerity-riddled Europe and in a post-Snowden world. It seems like enough has changed, you know? There are all these kinds of arguments about spying and civil liberties and the nature of democracy.”
TheBournefranchise has never been a strictly popcorn blockbuster series, and has never shied away from being topical, always inserting strong and timely social commentary in-between it’s thrilling action scenes and car chases. But the original trilogy is firmly stuck in the Bush-Era. Ever since Edward Snowden leaked classified documentation of the U.S. National Security Agency and its tendency to spy on the American public, surveillance, secrecy, and national security has become one of the most hot button topics of the day. One thatBourne 5should have no problem forming itself around.
While he wouldn’t say much more about the story,Matt Damondid open up about some of the on-location shooting that will take place onBourne 5. Like previous installments, this latest sequel will travel around the globe. It starts in one truly unique place, important to the story, and ends in another, equally important, yet unexpected town. The actor explains.
“We’re starting in Greece, you know, the beginning of democracy. And the movie ends in Las Vegas, the most grotesque incarnation of….”
When it hits next year,Bourne 5is sure to have a healthy dose of political subtext. And the current state of government in the 21 Century will be reflected in whatever story is being sold.Bourne 5begins shooting next week. It probably won’t be long before we see our first leaked set photo. What do you think about the sequel so far? Does it sound like it’s on the right track?
