Some people have all the luck. After delivering three increasingly terrific installments of the Fast & Furious franchise (in addition to Tokyo Drift), Justin Lin has signed on to direct the next entry in another box-office juggernaut: Universal’s Bourne series. Lin will take over directing duties on Bourne 5 from Tony Gilroy, who helmed 2012’s The Bourne Legacy to mixed reviews.
The fact that Universal is handing the reins over to a director best-known for his action savvy suggests that the studio wants Bourne 5 to adopt a more action-packed feel than its predecessor, which emphasized brain over brawn. In Gilroy’s entry, new protagonist Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) made use of his MacGyver-style ingenuity much more frequently than his skills in hand-to-hand combat.
Clearly, The Bourne Legacy‘s slightly underwhelming reception has made Universal re-think how the franchise should proceed. Snagging Lin to direct is certainly a step in the right direction if the studio wants Bourne 5 to have a more high-octane, effects-heavy feel.
Bourne 5 will boast a script by Anthony Peckham, who previously penned Sherlock Holmes and Invictus, as well as an early script for Chris Pine’s upcoming action vehicle Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Renner will return to star as Cross and Rachel Weisz is also expected to reprise her role as comely biochemist Marta Shearing.
The Bourne Legacy left off on a decidedly ambiguous note, so where Bourne 5 will pick up remains unclear, but I’d expect that a time jump will be incorporated into the plot, similar to the two-year gap between The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy. I would hope, however, that Bourne 5 won’t follow in the footsteps of Supremacy too closely, considering I enjoyed Weisz’s performance in Legacy more than I thought I would. Lin will obviously be bringing his considerable action skill-set to this sequel, so I’m already looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Are you excited to hear that Lin will be directing Bourne 5? Is he the right choice for this franchise? Sound off in the comments section!
Bourne 5 is expected to arrive in 2015.