Can Universal find a 'Bourne' replacement for Paul Greengrass?

"BOURNE" UPDATE: Paul Greengrass has just released a statement about his departure from the "Bourne" franchise. If only everyone in Hollywood sounded so classy. He says:

 "You won't find a more devoted supporter of the Bourne franchise than me. I will always be grateful to have been the caretaker to Jason Bourne over the course of The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. I'm very proud of those films and feel they express everything I most passionately believe about the possibility of making quality movies in the mainstream. My decision to not return a third time as director is simply about feeling the call for a different challenge. There's been no disagreement with Universal Pictures. The opportunity to work with the Bourne family again is a difficult thing to pass up, but we have discussed this together and they have been incredibly understanding and supportive. I've been lucky enough to have made four films for Universal, and our relationship continues. Jason Bourne existed before me and will continue, and I hope to remain involved in some capacity as the series moves on."

The news that Paul Greengrass is reportedly dropping out of the fourth installment in Universal's wildly successful "Bourne Identity" franchise is really bad news for Universal. In the midst of a prolonged commercial slump, with several problematic films (notably "The Wolfman" and Greengrass' own "The Green Zone") still clogging up the studio pipeline, the studio had been putting all of its focus on pushing ahead with sequels to its most valuable movie brands, in particular "Bourne," "The Fast and the Furious" and "Wanted."

It's a sign of Universal's desperation to jump-start its commercial projects that Greengrass' exit seems to have involved scheduling issues -- i.e., that Universal wanted the film in production far sooner than Greengrass did.

Greengrass' departure puts the "Bourne" series in jeopardy, since it's unlikely that Matt Damon, the star of the franchise, would commit to doing a fourth film unless the studio came up with a great script and a top director. (The most fascinating detail in The Wrap's account of Greengrass' departure is the news that Universal had two different screenwriters simultaneously at work on competing scripts for the project.)

Like most movie stars, Damon is happy to take a big-sequel payday, but only if he gets to work with a filmmaker who would bring some A-list cool to the proceedings.

So who could the studio recruit as a replacement filmmaker? I always like to be helpful, so I've prepared a quick list of possible directors who could offer some added value to another "Bourne" film. If any of you have other suggestions, please feel free to share:

Michael Mann: No one has a better feel for kinetic political thrillers. Sure, he's a handful, but Mann is an actor magnet and if Universal could survive two consecutive Mann adventures ("Miami Vice" and "Public Enemies"), maybe a third one would be the charm.

Tony Scott: He's always busy, so scheduling could be an issue, but as one of the best shooters in the business, he'd be a perfect fit for "Bourne." Another magnet for movie stars.

Neill Blomkamp: After the surprise success of "District 9," he's on everyone's "Hot Director" list. He's young, full of visual energy and would be a drawing card for Damon as a way to bring new energy to an aging film series.

Pierre Morel: He doesn't have the cachet of some of the other candidates, but after having a huge hit with the low-budget "Taken," he'd be the go-to guy for Universal if the studio wanted to rein in "Bourne" production costs this time around.

Len Wiseman: A bona fide action hit-maker after "Underworld" and "Live Free or Die Hard," he would also bring low-cost commercial chops to the series, though he might not have enough of the cool factor to pass muster with Damon.

John Moore: Something of an in-house director at Fox, he's delivered a series of solid but unspectacular actioners ("Behind Enemy Lines," "Max Payne"). He might not be enough of a drawing card to impress Damon, but on the other hand, you know that if he can work with Tom Rothman, he can work with anybody.

Timur Bekmambetov: He'd be the perfect choice, being a great visual stylist with tons of action credibility. Unfortunately, Universal already has him at work on a much-needed sequel for his hit, "Wanted."

Zack Snyder: "300" made him an instant star, but after the visual mess of "Watchmen," he might be willing to crank out a great genre sequel if it gave him the chance to work with a top movie star.

Steven Soderbergh: He keeps making crazy, inaccessible personal films, but if the studio needs to keep Damon on board, who would be better than the director who worked so well with the star on both "The Informant!" and the "Ocean's" series?

Doug Liman: He is, after all, the guy who launched the franchise, directing and producing "Bourne Identity." Sure, there were the well-reported contretemps between director and studio, but few know  "Bourne" better than Liman, who has received a producer credit on the last two movies.

Photo of Matt Damon in "The Bourne Ultimatum" by Jason Boland / Universal; Paul Greengrass by Francois Mori / Associated Press

Comments

[Nick]

This really sucks. Without Greengrass, Universal would probably be better off not making the damned thing. 'Bourne' needs that cinema verite look he brings to it. First they lose Gilroy, now him. Doesn't look good at all.

[amanda]

I'll add David Fincher to the list. Him and Damon were supposed to do Torso together, so you know Damon likes him and it would be interest to see Fincher do something like this.

[Dirk]

Limon or Blomkamp would be my choices.

[DONALD McCREA]

i'm a big fan of the Bourne movies and agree that Michael Mann could be a great choice....his Collateral had a similar ambiance as the Bourne flicks....although his Public Enemies was a mess with half of the scenes copped straight out of the Warren Oates (Dillinger) version of the same tale.......
and Tony Scott's Spy Game also showed a touch that would work for the Bourne series........and, hopefully they will retain John Powell to provide the soundtrack.....i have lived with his previous Bourne tracks on my iPOD.....

[BLW]

The next installment: "The Bourne Redundancy". Hasn't this story already ran its course? What else is there for Bourne to do?

[Ray]

JJ Abrams--He would be great--loved Cloverfield, Star Trek, and Lost. Of course, he looks to be unavailble due to ST II.

[chadillac]

Why not Tony Gilroy? He's been involved in the franchise enough to pull it off.

[Alex Biancalana]

Michael Mann? Seriously?

No way would Mann reduce himself to doing the fourth movie in a series. He is too established as an artist and filmmaker to need the gig. And even though he makes films that can be categorized as "action" or "gangster" films, the noir aesthetic that he's been developing with digital photography in his last three films would be turned into a gimmick if he were asked to apply that to the Bourne series. Also, it wouldn't work. Audiences haven't responded too well to those 3 films (Collateral, Miami Vice, Public Enemies) because he's too ahead of them. His artistry is not easy to penetrate for the average film goer. Heat is now a classic but back then it didn't make many waves with either critics or the public.

Mann is doing his own thing and it's working spectacularly for my tastes. Let him keep doing it.

The others you mention are all good fits for the series. Talented in their own right but next to Mann they're all hacks.

Alex

[CW]

Sure they can find a suitable new director for the next Bourne film.

All the new director has to do is create baffling visual incoherence in the action scenes by showing us only a sequence of very tight telephoto shots which are edited at the speed of a caffiene-crazed hummingbird, such that you can just barely kinda sorta understand what just happened and how.

As long as the new director does that, he will continue the proud trend which wastes potential effectiveness in many action films today, such as Quantum of Solace.

Extra points if dialog scenes are filmed in a constantly wavering close up,
to be sure to induce headaches in many viewers.

[Shaun O.]

Wow. While I like pretty much all of these guys for their collective work, I don't think ANY of them are right for this series...

Michael Mann - First off, his last two films have been pale comparisons to his earlier work and he appears to take himself far too seriously now.

Tony Scott - Love Tony's work, but it's all about flash and as much as I love him, his films lack the substance and depth that the series has presented so far.

Neill Blomkamp - Probably the best suggestion here.

Pierre Morel - Sure "Taken" made a lot of money and Liam was good, but the film was more a riff on earlier Luc Besson films, but not quite as good.

Len Wiseman - Well. He's married to one of the most beautiful women on the planet (Kate Beckinsale), and has a sturdy box-office track record, but I have NO idea what would lead you believe he has the chops for this series. I've heard he's a nice guy and "Underworld" was kinda cool, but in my opinion, he ruined the "Die Hard" franchise (to be fair, it was probably more the fault of that bonehead Tom Rothman at Fox who seems intent on ruining every franchise he has - Hello, "Wolverine"?)

John Moore - I'll agree with you on "unimpressive." Solid? Not so much. He hasn't made a good film yet. No need to let him tank the "Bourne" series. Let Rothman keep him. Plus I hear he treats his crews like sh*t.

Timur Bekmambetov - Of your list, my second choice, although his sensibilities seem to run towards the fantastical... probably not a good fit.

Zack Snyder - Starting to wonder if you really GET the series as set up by Liman and Greengrass. Doesn't fit... at all.

Steven Soderbergh - Arguably the best filmmaker on your list, but... still not right. Though this time, I can't put my finger on why. Just feels wrong.

Doug Liman - A disaster on set (if word on the lot is to be believed) who somehow manages to find his films in the edit suite and (with the exception of maybe "Jumper") turn them into not only solid moneymakers, but good films. That said, Universal brought in Super-Producer Frank Marshall when "Identity" started to get away from him and Damon reportedly said he'd never work with him again. Universal gave him Producer title on the next two films and a paycheck to, essentially, go away.

My choice? Tony Gilroy. He wrote the films, so he knows the character maybe better than anyone. He garnered Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nominations for "Michael Clayton" and though "duplicity" wasn't a hit, but he attracts top talent and knows how to direct them. Also, Damon likes him.

Not sure how you left him off the list, but I think he's the guy. Substance, class, and he can write the fu*k out of it. Get him back, Universal!