Matt Damon Finally Breaks His Silence on ‘Jason Bourne 6’, and the Zendaya Rumors Refuse to Die
Matt Damon has spent the better part of a decade being cagey about whether he would ever strap back into Jason Bourne’s boots. The actor is currently everywhere promoting Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’, and every stop on that press tour seems to circle back to one persistent question from fans, journalists, and franchise loyalists alike.
That question is simple. Is ‘Jason Bourne 6’ actually happening, and will Damon be the one playing him. For years the answer has been a shrug, buried under conflicting reports about reboots, recasts, and a rights battle that dragged on long after 2016’s ‘Jason Bourne’ hit theaters.
The uncertainty finally cracked during a recent stop on The Rich Eisen Show, where Damon confirmed that a sixth Bourne film is still in active development. When directly asked if he was still interested in returning to the role, Damon expressed that he is more than willing to do the sequel alongside Oscar winning director Edward Berger, best known for ‘All Quiet on the Western Front.’
Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Damon explained that he wants the new film to feel like the first three entries in the franchise, noting the challenge of building a sequel that satisfies longtime fans while still bringing something fresh to the table. He also acknowledged that unlike a franchise such as James Bond, ‘Bourne’ has always followed one continuous story, which makes finding the right next chapter more difficult than simply handing off the role.
That last point matters, because Damon’s update lands directly in the middle of a swirling recasting rumor. Industry insider Jeff Sneider reported that Zendaya had discussions about replacing Damon as the lead of the Bourne series at Universal, with the studio allegedly eyeing a full reboot built around a new female spy. Universal has not issued any official statement confirming or denying that report, and the rumor originally suggested Zendaya would step in as a new amnesiac operative in the mold of Damon’s original character.
Adding to the intrigue, Damon and Zendaya currently share the screen together in ‘The Odyssey’, which only fueled speculation about a behind the scenes handoff. For now, Damon’s own words suggest the studio has not moved away from him just yet, even if the Zendaya chatter has not fully disappeared either.
The ‘Bourne’ franchise remains one of Universal’s most valuable properties, having grossed over 1.6 billion dollars across five films since ‘The Bourne Identity’ launched the series in 2002. Damon has played the title character in four of those five installments, sitting out only ‘The Bourne Legacy’, which starred Jeremy Renner as a different operative.
Despite Damon’s optimism, Universal has not given ‘Jason Bourne 6’ any official confirmation or release date at this time, meaning the project is still very much a moving target. Berger’s involvement and Damon’s enthusiasm are encouraging signs, but the story itself remains unfinished on paper.
With Damon seemingly back in the fold and Zendaya’s name still floating around the edges of the franchise, do you want to see Damon reprise Jason Bourne one more time, or is it time for Universal to hand the reins to someone new?
