I just got off the phone with Paul Greengrass, who is promoting his excellent new film Green Zone, which more or less takes the feel and action of a Bourne movie and places it into the real world and deals with real, current political issues. Paul and I talked (or rather Paul talked – you ask a question and twenty minutes later your interview is over and you have a massive, smart and awesome essay delivered to you by the world’s smartest action movie director) about the film at hand, but at the end of the conversation I had to ask whether he was officially done with the Bourne franchise. He had said that he was finished, but recent quotes from Green Zone and Bourne star Matt Damon made it seem possible that a third film from Greengrass could be in the offing.
‘I have moved on,’ he told me. ‘I finished [Green Zone] in July, had the summer off, and I came back and thought I could find a way to get engaged and make [a fourth Bourne film], [but] I thought in my head there were so many other things and films I wanted to make. I didn’t have the fire in my belly. Not that I don’t like Jason Bourne, not that I’m not extremely grateful to the franchise, not that I’m extremely close to the studio – there were no arguments. I didn’t feel like I had anything else to contribute. It just happens with franchises; you get to a point where you feel like you’ve done it.’
That said, Greengrass sees the franchise going on, and his association with Universal (who are distributing Green Zone as well as the next Bourne movie), continuing. ‘They need to find someone else to come in to take it in a new direction I wouldn’t have thought of and it will be better. I’ll continue to make movies with the studio, and I’ll continue to make movies with Matt, because there are a lot of movies I’d like to make with him. In the end in your creative journey through life you need new challenges, and I’ve come to that place.’
So what’s that next challenge? ‘Could it be a romantic comedy?’ he joked. ‘Probably not. It’ll probably be some gigantic action movie, but it’ll be fun and new. Watch this space.’
22 comments
Kudos to paul. The Bourne series ended on a very good note and tied everything up very nicely in a big red bow. I have absolutely no problems with this decision. Hollywood is due for a grand trilogy in the tradition of Godfather where you have a true beginning, middle and end. The Bourne films are very much that and so much more. They are all bona fide examples of the action movie done right without all the superflurous bells and whistles that today's audiences think they need in their action movies. These movies made peopel *gasp* THINK and for that I applaud the entire production team.
Am I the only one in North America that doesn't think too much of the Bourne movies? I'm probably uncultured swine for enjoying the Transporter sequels more.
Right, as he officially told Variety months ago.
Eh, the first Bourne movie was great, the others were more or less emotionless retreads with shakier cameras.
That said, I think Greengrass' "United 93" is a masterpiece, and I look forward to seeing another movie from him set in the real world.
Agreed, United 93 is a masterpiece. And I'm glad he's done with Bourne. It was great while it lasted, though. Honestly, I'd watch anything by Greengrass. Dude's brilliant.
I loved the movies…but they weren't really the Bourne series by anything but name. I sometimes wish they'd stuck to the books story.
I like Greengrass. I enjoyed the second Bourne movie. The third one struck me as an inferior copy of the second. I appreciate some of the style of the series and its impact on the current wave of action movies, which already seems to be getting stale. But I think it's a good thing Greengrass moves on. The Bourne films just aren't the kind of films one should spend his kind of talent on. I don't think kids will be watching the Bourne series in 20yrs and deciding to get into film.
This man needs a tripod.
This is the first talkback I've seen where everyone unites in opinion and celebrates a talent, rather than tear one down.
You fat fucks are alright.
I've never understood where it was possible for them to go with a fourth Bourne movie anyway. You're simply headed straight into retread-ville if you were to continue them because as a trilogy the films are a closed loop. Fuckin donuts man. Bourne discovered in the water and then back in the water some 6 film hours later. Perfect closure. Plus Blackbriar and Treadstone covered the whole evil CIA thing as far as it could go, unless they just want to create another faction with a ten letter name and start over. But then you just get into Bond territory, which is what Damon and Greengrass were so adamant that Bourne would not do (at least not completely anyway).
In the end don't look at Bourne as being a franchise. It's a trilogy, and a damn fine one. It's done. How lucky we all have been. Crystal Skulls avoided!!!!! (Even though, yeah, I liked Indy 4. Only problem was that it wasn't as good as the others, which is a whole different conversation I'd be happy to debate with anyone willing.)
He may be smart, but he doesn't seem to have a very firm grip on his damn camera.
Good for good ol' Paul.
Marvel, give ol' Greengrass The Avengers and let the money drown you.
#13 Now THAT is a brilliant idea.
There comes a time when a series must end, I'm just glad Greengrass has the decency to know when to walk away. With any luck Universal will back away from the Bourne universe all together and focus on other projects.
He may be "book" smart, but he sure as hell doesn't have the common sense to buy a fucking tripod for his goddamn camera.
My god… the director so obviously was making a stylistic choice in having shaky camera movements. That was a directorial position and one for the dp. He didn't do it because he didn't have a tripod! Thats just… no. That was a direct choice to establish the tone and flow of the film and to allow the viewers to see how nerve racking Bourne's job and life is. And in my opinion, it was a defining and brilliant choice. Without it the film would have looked DRASTICALLY different. See, this is why a lot of people don't become directors lol
The Bourne movies were amazingly fresh after years of staleness. The car chases were some of the best in recent years, too. Thought Bond had changed after the first Craig film, but turned back to garbage very quickly. The first Transporter showed promise, as did Crank, but the sequels were a complete letdown and went way too cheesy. And I preferred the Bourne movie character to the books, really, as the couple I've read had some pretty piss poor writing. Mayeb I expected too much after the films, I dunno. I guess I just really like the Bourne movies a lot, and while I wish they'd make more, I understand why it can't really be done without ruining the previous movies. Nothing but love for the Greengrass, shakycam and all.
Gonna join the chorus of kudos to Greengrass for a great run on a great action movie series, one of the best ever.
Also, ditto on the recommendation to Marvel/Disney: hire Greengrass to make the Avengers movie, sit back and count your Billion Dollars in box office sales.
"Bourne 4: Retreadstone"?
Oh, Devin. GREEN ZONE is a TERRIBLE movie.
Every Greengrass movie evaporates from my mind after viewing. World Trade Center, weeping aside, was a much better movie than United 93. Classic? Not really.
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