Paul Greengrass Leaves Bourne 4

Published by Jeff Leins on: November 30th, 2009

Paul Greengrass has exited Bourne 4, the next installment of the super-spy series starring Matt Damon.  The filmmaker directed the second and third in the successful franchise for Universal.

The Playlist exclusive reports the inevitable trade paper announcements will cite the usual “creative differences” as Greengrass moves on.  Both Damon and the director initially expressed hesitation towards a fourth, but Universal is adamant about moving ahead after the third pulled $442.8 million worldwide.  With Greengrass possibly out, the sequel is in jeopardy unless they can lure him back or find a suitable replacement that keeps Damon around.

In October 2008, Universal moved ahead with a fourth Jason Bourne flick by hiring Bourne Ultimatum co-writer George Nolfi.  Studio executives weren’t happy with the draft and in August 2009 they hired Josh Zetumer to write a “parallel script.”  The announcement spun it as a scheduling conflict with Nolfi’s The Adjustment Bureau (also starring Damon) and suggested the two scripts would be merged somehow when Bourne was lining up to shoot.  (Unfortunately, the real talent behind the complex Bourne adaptations, Tony Gilroy, is not returning to the series.)

According to the article, Greengrass wasn’t consulted on the Zetumer decision and the new hire caused a rift in the early production.  This is on top of the studio’s reported frustrations with him in the past regarding the “organic” process of “finding the story” mid-production on the third Bourne.

Greengrass is completing the edit of the Universal film Green Zone, an Iraq-based action movie starring Bourne himself, Matt Damon.  Again, the Playlist suggests the ballooning budget and extended editing phase has tested the studio’s patience.

It will be interesting to see if Universal executives can hold this franchise together in the coming months and salvage what will probably be a lucrative sequel.  I hope Greengrass sticks around.  His style was part of the reason the Bourne movies were exceptional, and why many other action movies (including James Bond) are copying the series.