Seeing as it wasn’t able to bring back series star Matt Damon, the fourth film in the Bourne series is going to have to work hard to get people to accept its existence and not picket theaters. I mean, people can get pretty emotional about their Matt Damon. When it was announced that he wouldn’t be returning, the prevailing sentiment was that a fourth movie wouldn’t make sense, and that making one would be a cynical way to grub money from an unsuspecting public by exploiting the series’ name. But the producers have done everything they can to make The Bourne Legacy look like it fits in with its older brothers. First, they signed Tony Gilroy to write and direct. Seeing as he wrote the first three Bourne films as well, that should lend a nice bit of continuity to a fourth. Then they went and signed Jeremy Renner to star as the new lead character, who will decidedly not be Jason Bourne. That’s gotta take a lot of the sting out of the Damon departure. Renner is a fast rising star and pretty much the new Matt Damon anyways. Now a third step has been taken to legitimize the project, Variety is reporting that Gilroy is bringing some of the characters from the first films back, firmly setting this story in that same world.

Russell Edgington is a prime example of a great villain. Not only was he smart and calculated, but he also had the power and strength to get things done on his own. And when Edgington got down and bloody, he looked cool doing it. The vampire king was one of the few vamps on True Blood that seemed interested in actually having fun. He always looked as if he was going to a party and simply looking for a good time, especially with the help of his slick 70s style wardrobe. Sadly, Edgington isn’t around this season, but don’t fret. As actor Denis O’Hare says below, the plan is for him to return. Things didn’t end well for Edgington last season, but the King of Mississippi had persistence and ambition, so there was no real reason for us to be doubting his return. While Denis O’Hare isn’t on this season, the actor was still kind enough to make the time to discuss his role on the show. Throughout my whole chat with O’Hare he wore his love for Edgington on his sleeve. From discussing the character’s past to his childlike wonder, the actor remained enthusiastic.

Well, Jeremy Renner is almost Jason Bourne in that he’s been offered the role as Matt Damon’s replacement. He’s also almost Jason Bourne because he’ll be playing a new character in the same Bourne-verse. Of course, Jason Bourne isn’t even Jason Bourne so it all evens out. According to Deadline Barrelsvile, the two-time Academy Award nominee who defused bombs in The Hurt Locker has been offered the starring role of a Bourne spin-off directed by Tony Gilroy. Now, it’s a matter of him accepting it or turning it down. This, of course, couldn’t make more sense if it had a gun to our foreheads. Renner is set up as an action star that brings acting talent and an intensity cocaine addicts only wish they had to the table. But there’s still a chance he might pass on the role. Why? For one, a packed work schedule. Both The Bourne Legacy and Avengers are slated for 2012, so they’ll have to make it work. Renner also has Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol coming out later this year as well as Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters filming right now for a 2012 release. For two, it’s a question as to whether Renner would be able to/want to take over as the point man for both the Mission: Impossible and Bourne franchises. That’s a lot of spy work for one man. His star is rising, of course, and while he’d be brilliant in this, the choice also almost seems myopic – as if there [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Tony Gilroy, who has previously directed Michael Clayton and Duplicity, is hoping to keep movie theaters freshly stocked with new Jason Bourne movies. Currently there are nine Bourne novels in existence, with a tenth on the way in 2012, so there is no shortage of material for the director to adapt to the big screen. Already he has written a script for The Bourne Legacy, and he intends to direct the film himself, so it seems like all systems should be go. The only problem is that Matt Damon is done with the series, so he’s going to have to find himself another actor to play the title character. In a way, a changeover of actors is fitting for The Bourne Legacy. The first three novels in the Bourne series, which have all been adapted into films starring Damon, were written by Robert Ludlum. Starting with “Legacy” all of the rest of the sequels have been written by Eric Van Lustbader. If there was ever a time to change up some things about the film versions of Bourne’s adventures, then this is probably it, even though Gilroy has said that Legacy will have little to do with the established novel other than a shared title. The Latino Review reports that Gilroy and company have decided that Jeremy Renner is the guy they’re looking for to fill Damon’s shoes, and an offer to star has been sent his way. Originally Gilroy wanted Sucker Punch actor Oscar Issac for the role, but [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Why?

In a sea of some of the most important pictures the world has known to date – why? In a collection spanning nearly one-hundred years of film history and inclusive of a large portion of the greatest filmmakers we’ve ever known…why? With a library containing movies which focus heavily on visual artistry and emotional complexities and probably have a combined budget *possibly* equal to that of this film…why? With another picture released the same year about pretty much the same thing made by a studio from the same country garnering stronger critical reception and sporting an [in]arguably more plausible solution and execution to the prevention of the end of the world via meteors the size of really, really big things…WHY? Why is this mammoth-sized summer blockbuster which is a masterpiece of the color orange alongside some of the most revered pictures of the last (nearly) 100 years?

The answer is simple, concrete, and indisputable:

This news was probably inevitable, but like the romantic that I am I unfortunately held out hope just long enough for the truth to sting. The fourth film in the Jason Bourne series will be without its title character. Per Hollywood Elsewhere, writer/director Tony Gilroy is guiding The Bourne Legacy along a storyline that does not feature Jason Bourne and therefore does not need Matt Damon. This point is important because Damon had previously sworn off any interest in a fourth film if Paul Greengrass wasn’t sitting in the director’s chair. Greengrass directed parts two and three but supposedly came into conflict with Universal during the production of Green Zone and decided to call it quits in regard to the Bourne series. Gilroy, of course, has been associated with all three films in the role of co-writer, and it was recently announced that he’d be taking the reigns on part four. Gilroy says “This is not a reboot or a recast or a prequel. No one’s replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter…this is a stand-alone project.” To which I reply, why the hell does it need to be part of the Bourne series?

Probably not, seems to be the consensus around bloggywood today. Over at /Film, Russ Fischer outlines the tenuous relationship that has developed between Bourne franchise forefathers Tony Gilroy and Paul Greengrass. In short, Gilroy didn’t like what Greengrass did with his script on The Bourne Ultimatum to the extent that it doesn’t sound like a fourth movie would include them both. And now that news is breaking that Universal is leaning toward Gilroy (who recently delivered Michael Clayton and Duplicity to much success), it’s safe to assume that Paul Greengrass is out for round four. Which means that star Matt Damon would be out, as he’s expressed interest in working on the project only if Greengrass comes back. So there’s where the whole thing stands, caught in quite a kerfuffle. Will Damon return? Will Gilroy restart the series with another actor? If so, then with who? The new title is The Bourne Legacy, so it could very well make sense for a little reboot. All of these questions remain. Either way, as long as Gilroy holds the camera still from time to time, I’ll watch whatever he puts together. [Deadline]

Rumors had been swirling since late last week, and this week Variety has confirmed that director Paul Greengrass is leaving the Bourne franchise. So what is Universal going to do now?

Latino Review has reported that screenwriter Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) will rewrite MGM/UA’s Red Dawn remake. Gilroy has penned the new screenplay to replace one written by Carl Ellsworth and Jeremy Passmore.

Kevin Carr reviews this week’s new movies: Knowing, I Love You, Man and Duplicity.

For fun, having already watched the trailer, watch it again… but this time imagine Brad Pitt as the reporter and Ed Norton as the Congressman. They were originally cast in the roles but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. It would have been their first onscreen reunion after Fight Club.

Tony Gilroy, the writer/director behind last year’s excellent Michael Clayton, has a new movie due next year… and it looks pretty damn solid.