Prince William might lack the power to restore the SnyderVerse, but he seems to be believe he holds the power to bring back another major action franchise. Unfortunately, it appears that changing someone’s mind isn’t his forte.
For those who love their spy thrillers stirred, not shaken, the Bourne franchise proved to be a worthy alternative to James Bond. Doug Liman directed the first installment, 2002’s The Bourne Identity, but director Paul Greengrass became synonymous with the series after helming 2004’s The Bourne Supremacy, 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum, and 2016’s Jason Bourne. Greengrass’ movies raked in over $1 billion at the box office, so it’s safe to say the filmmaker and this franchise established themselves as a winning – and financially viable – combination.
Eight years have passed since Greengrass and star Matt Damon teamed up for a Bourne film, and fans keep wondering when the next entry in the series will arrive. Turns out that Prince William is among them and tried to see if he could use his royal clout to convince Greengrass to return for another movie. According to The Times, the Prince of Wales approached Greengrass at a BAFTA event and begged for one more film. Reportedly, the director shook his head and laughed.
Later, as per The Independent‘s report, Greengrass addressed his status with the franchise once and for all. “Not for me, they need somebody younger, I’ve done my bit,” he said. “But I hope they get somebody great and young to do it, I think they’re in the process.”
William must not be following the news, as the director of the next Bourne film was teased in 2023. The person most likely to take the franchise into the future is the German-born filmmaker Edward Berger, who directed the Academy Award-winning film All Quiet on the Western Front.
Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (via Variety), Damon spoke about Berger’s involvement in the franchise, while stopping short of giving a definitive answer if he would return as Jason Bourne:
“There is a great director named Edward Berger. [All Quiet on the Western Front] is a fantastic film, and he’s wonderful and he said he had an idea [for Bourne]. I would love to work with him, so he’s working on it. Look, I’m as anxious as you are to see if this thing [happens] – I hope it’s great and that we can do it.”
Prince William’s heart was in the right place when he asked Greengrass to return to the Bourne Universe, but the director has moved on. The only question remaining is whether Damon will return or if they’ll cast someone new? William might need to make some calls to the Damon household soon, especially if Berger’s film is a reboot.
