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 the Good Will Hunting star was toward the action-thriller installments based on Robert Ludlum’s The 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.
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 Identity was 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 the Air star in the first three installments.
A spinoff film, The Bourne Legacy starring Jeremy Renner was 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 with Matt 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, and Jason Bourne are 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.”
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 Martian actor 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 Identity was further delayed, and when it was finally released in 2002, it had to compete with Scooby-Doo and The Windtalkers. The Bourne Identity made only half as much money in its first weekend as Scooby-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 the Ocean’s Eleven actor, 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 in The 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.
Source- GQ
