A few months ago, there were rumors that Zendaya was being eyed to lead a reboot of the Jason Bourne franchise. Nothing really came of it until a month ago, when The InSneider indicated she had “DEFINITELY had discussions about it.”
However, last week, Damon himself went on the record and told The Rich Eisen Show that he was still involved in the next Bourne film, with Edward Berger (“Conclave”) set to direct.
So, what’s going on here exactly? It turns out it’s much simpler than you might think.
Yesterday, Sneider had another update. He’s now hearing that the next Bourne movie will be a Damon and Zendaya team-up, with the latter being “positioned as the franchise’s heir apparent.”
Zendaya and Damon have been out promoting “The Odyssey” without uttering a word about any of this, although her fiancé, Tom Holland, has spoken multiple times about his love of the “Bourne” movies.
Replacing Damon, 55, is a no-brainer. What the “Bourne” franchise needs is new blood. But hot damn, Zendaya’s potential casting would almost certainly be met with hostility in certain corners of the online film community. Gender-swapped reboots almost never do well at the box office, and that has a lot to do with the toxicity that often surrounds them.
Is this actually a good idea? I’m sure the internet will act totally normal about casting a woman of color in the role. Quite honestly, though, I can see the thinking behind it and why Universal is reportedly supporting her casting. I see this next film—with Damon still leading and Zendaya in a supporting role—as a test run to gauge audience appetite for a potential female-led continuation of the franchise.
Through five movies, the “Bourne” franchise has grossed $1.64 billion at the global box office. The first three—“Identity,” “Supremacy,” and “Ultimatum”—were the strongest entries, while the last two were so lukewarm that they deflated much of the excitement and anticipation for a potential sixth installment.