Bourne to run

From EW.com:

The legacy of Jason Bourne will continue… but likely without Jason Bourne.

Universal has hired screenwriter Anthony Peckham (Sherlock Holmes) to pen the next chapter in the Bourne franchise, which will remain focused on Jeremy Renner’s drug-enhanced super-soldier, Aaron Cross. (Deadline initially reported the news.) Renner took the reins from Matt Damon after the original Bourne trilogy concluded with 2007′s Bourne Ultimatum. Last year’s Bourne Legacy, which pitted Cross against Edward Norton’s shady government handler, was a modest hit, grossing $276 million worldwide. Though that didn’t equal Damon’s output in Ultimatum ($443 million), it was more than the original 2002 franchise-starter.

Producer Frank Marshall has frequently mentioned his wish to unite Damon and Renner in a Bourne film, but it remains unclear how the politics would work. (Damon has repeatedly insisted he won’t do another Bourne without director Paul Greengrass, and he doesn’t have the best relationship with Legacy director Tony Gilroy.) There’s some hope, since Peckham wrote the script for Invictus, which earned Damon an Oscar nomination, and the new Bourne installment — The Bourne Infinity? The Bourne Ubiquity? — didn’t immediately announce a director… Stay tuned.

RBR: Haywire

MMA fighter Gina Carano makes her screen debut in this spy thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh. Carano does need to do much in the way of acting here, but shows enough screen presence to suggest that she may have a future in Hollywood. Her cage fighting experience, however, is put to good use here as she has several impressive scenes where she is handily beating up men twice her size. While Carano may not have much experience in front of the camera, Soderbergh certainly has plenty behind it and his style is felt throughout the entire film. His trademark touches work both in the film's favor and to its detriment. The film is very stylish with its beautiful shot locations and omnipresent soundtrack. As far as the film's plot, the minimalist approach taken her is a bit disappointing. Don't expect much in terms of freshness when it comes to this story about a spy who's been burned by their own organization. This is Jason Bourne lite in more ways than one. If you're a person who favors style over substance, you should really enjoy this film. For those who like a little bit more meat on the bones when it comes to story, then you may be left feeling hungry. I like the film's look and its cast (Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, and Bill Paxton all show up in small roles) but I would have prefered a bit stronger narrative connecting all of Carano's asskickings together. Rating: *** 1/2

Don't Treadstone on me

I've been on the fence about extending the Bourne franchise without Matt Damon, but this latest trailer for The Bourne Legacy has me completely sold. From the looks of things they've found a way of successfully integrating the existing storyline while also creating something unique as well. They appear to have enough actors from the previous films couples with some excellent new additions to make this a must see come this August. Have a look for yourself.