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The world of spies and espionage has always fascinated people who enjoy watching movies. And when it comes to spy franchises on the big screen, James Bond and Jason Bourne are two recognizable names. While Matt Damon’s Bourne franchise has given British spies a serious competition; James Bond has dominated the spy genre for more than 50 years.
It was truly impressive how committed theGood Will Huntingstar was toward the action-thriller installments based on Robert Ludlum’sThe Bourne Series. Damon’s dedication to playing the spy and his tireless pursuit of the answers to his past mysteries kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
It is obvious that his performance as Jason Bourne is the driving force behind these thrilling films, consistently delivering heart-pounding excitement to fans across the globe.
The spy genre is well-known for the Bourne franchise, which has so far generated five movies and included Damon in four of them.
In an interview with GQ, the 52-year-old American actor, film producer, and screenwriter admitted that he had no idea the film would be so well-received that it would inspire a series of five films.
Read More:Matt Damon Was Willing to Get Meryl Streep for $226M Movie After Being Inspired by Quentin Tarantino for a Surprising Reason
Matt Damon’s Spy Franchise ‘A Wake-Up Call For James Bond Franchise’?
Which of the five Jason Bourne films—of which there have been five—is the best of all time?
Well, Jason Bourne is a lethal CIA assassin with amnesia, and his stories were adapted from the late Robert Ludlum’s books (and continued by Eric Van Lustbader). Jason Bourne, who was portrayed by Matt Damon in four movies, essentially gave audiences an American version of James Bond and helped redefine action movies in the twenty-first century.
The Bourne Identitywas adapted into a feature film in 2002, with Doug Liman as the director and Matt Damon cast as the title assassin. The unexpected box office success of the film established a franchise, with Paul Greengrass directing theAirstar in the first three installments.
A spinoff film,The Bourne LegacystarringJeremy Rennerwas also produced. The Bourne films undoubtedly tasted success, thanks to their realistic take on the spy film genre, visceral action, and the compelling new action hero the series introduced.
Along withMatt Damon‘s riveting performances, the Bourne films were distinguished by director Paul Greengrass’ distinctive approach to filmmaking.The success of the Bourne series, according to Greengrass, served as a“wake-up call”for the James Bond franchise’s franchise.
The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, andJason Bourneare three of the five Bourne movies that Greengrass has directed.According to him, the 007 films “responded well” to the challenge posed by the Bourne movies.
“It’s interesting that when Jason Bourne came on the scene, I think it was a bit of a wake-up call for James Bond. But my word, how well they’ve responded since.”
Read More:“I was really uncomfortable..I don’t want to do”: Matt Damon Was ready to Quit His $1.6 Billion Franchise After Terrible Changes in Script
What Did Matt Damon Think About The Bourne Franchise?
Matt Damon admitted that he did not think there would be more than one film.He only agreed to work on one film, despite being told he would have to do the other two if the first one was successful.
In an interview with GQ,The Martianactor admitted that he had no idea the film would be so well-received that it would inspire a series of five films.
“We went over schedule on that movie and that’s always a bad indicator. Usually it means the film is in trouble.”
Due to 9/11,The Bourne Identitywas further delayed, and when it was finally released in 2002, it had to compete withScooby-DooandThe Windtalkers.The Bourne Identitymade only half as much money in its first weekend asScooby-Doo.But, it is also true that the film was acclaimed for an incredibly strong performance by Damon and the other actors in the movie.
According to theOcean’s Elevenactor, the film consistently performed better than expected.
“It was one of those movies that because it hadn’t been driven down anybody’s throats, because no one really thought it would be a hit, audiences found it on their own.”
This inspired the cast, who ultimately used it as motivation to produce the second Bourne film.
For the unversed, Damon decided not to return for the fourth film since Paul Greengrass was not directing it after the trilogy’s successful run. Jeremy Renner played the lead character inThe Bourne Legacy, the fourth film.
Well, it is safe to say that the Bourne films were a breath of fresh air as they proved that a spy movie does not necessarily need flashy gadgets to be realistic, gritty, and exciting.
Also Read:“His face just fell”: Matt Damon Reveals Brad Pitt Envies Him Intensely That is Surprisingly Linked to Dating Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
