With the first day of principal photography now in the can, series producer Frank Marshall has revealed our first look at Matt Damon as Jason Bourne ahead of Bourne 5, and you’d hardly think the actor ever took a brief hiatus from the action franchise.
Shooting on the as-yet-untitled sequel kicked off in Tenerife, Spain earlier this week, where Universal’s production will remain until at least early October. Interestingly, Marshall referred to the production as ‘Bourne 2016′ in his Tweet, hinting that the studio will opt for a subtitle over a numerical sequel, as many had already assumed.
Details on the story are, as you would imagine, thin on the ground. Paul Greengrass’ anticipated actioner recently recruited Vincent Cassel in the role of the villain – an asset dispatched with one primary goal in mind: to hunt down the elusive Jason Bourne. Throughout the course of the series, we’ve seen Damon go toe-to-toe with characters brought to life by Clive Owen, Karl Urban and Edgar Ramirez, though we have every faith that Cassel can stand as a memorable foe for our no-nonsense anti-hero.
Tackling themes of political corruption and the control of sensitive information, Bourne 5 is also said to take place in a “post-Snowden world,” where hard-pressing, timely issues will underpin Damon’s return to the series. Marking the reunion of director and star following the offshoot that was Bourne: Legacy, next year’s sequel represents an opportunity for Universal to bring its action flagship back to its roots, particularly when you factor in the critical and commercial acclaim that Greengrass’ original trilogy enjoyed.
Matt Damon will reprise his role as Robert Ludlum’s creation when Bourne 5 – or Bourne 2016 – opens during the thick of blockbuster season on July 29, 2016.
