Nearly ten years after he last played Jason Bourne in 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum, Matt Damon is returning to his iconic action role in the aptly titled Jason Bourne. The new sequel also sees Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum director Paul Greengrass return to the helm, with the script co-written by Greengrass, Damon, and Greengrass' longtime editor Christopher Rouse. It's positioned as one of Universal's major summer films, bowing in theaters this July.
Even though its release is about four months away (as of this writing), the studio has kept things fairly close to the chest in terms of promotion. Outside of an image of Bourne and a television spot that aired during Super Bowl 50 in February, marketing materials for the film are hard to come by. That all might be changing soon, though, since a new picture of Damon as the super spy has now emerged online.
In their summer movie preview, USA Today had an image of Bourne on a motorcycle, seemingly in the middle of one of the franchise's famous chases. Check it out below:
Though the image doesn't reveal much in terms of potential plot details (which are also being kept under wraps), it's nevertheless very eye-catching. In the background, it appears as if there's some sort of protest going on with people marching and waving flags. This could very well be the "nighttime riot scene" Damon alluded to when discussing the movie's shooting locations. According to him, the sequence depicted is meant to take place in Athens, Greece and happens at the start of the film. If that's the case, then this will probably serve as the audience's reintroduction to the Bourne character and kick start the narrative, whatever that might be.
One would have to assume that Universal will get the ball rolling on advertising soon. Many other 2016 tentpoles have unveiled multiple trailers already, meaning that Jason Bourne could be behind in terms of awareness. It's true that the film is one of the most anticipated of the year, but the studio will want to rev up the hype train in the near future. Fans are eager to learn what Bourne has been up to and why he would return, in addition to getting a glimpse of what the talented cast (including Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Riz Ahmed, and Julia Stiles) has in store for viewers. It's smart of Universal to hold back and preserve secrecy, but now's a better time than ever to offer a sizable tease.
The Bourne Ultimatum seemed to offer a satisfying conclusion to Bourne's story, so some may be wondering why the band is getting back together at the risk of spoiling the legacy. That's a fair question, but it's important to keep in mind that Damon maintained for years that he would not reprise the character unless he and Greengrass came up with a great concept. The time off seems to have benefitted the duo, with Bourne now operating in a post-Snowden world that presents its own set of challenges. Time will tell, but it looks like Jason Bourne will be a worthwhile installment and offer a true "completion" of the character's journey.
NEXT: Jason Bourne Super Bowl Trailer
Jason Bourne hits theaters July 29, 2016.
Source: USA Today