Matt Damon has confirmed that he is open to the prospect of starring in a new instalment in the Bourne franchise.
It was first reported back in November that a new Bourne film might be in the works, with All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger in talks to helm the project.
In an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last week, Damon confirmed that Berger is indeed in the early stages of developing the new film, and expressed an interest in returning as the amnesiac action star.
“There is a great director named Edward Berger,” Damon said. “All Quiet on the Western Front is a fantastic film, and he’s wonderful and he said he had an idea. I would love to work with him, so he’s working on it. Look, I’m as anxious as you are to see if this thing [happens]. I hope it’s great and that we can do it.”
Damon went on to explain, however, that at 53, his days of credibly portraying the character may be numbered. “At a certain point, somebody is going to need to take it over. I’m not getting any younger.”
There have so far been five films in the Bourne franchise, which is based on a series of novels by Robert Ludlum. Damon has played the CIA assassin Bourne in four of the five films, beginning with 2002’s The Bourne Identity. He did not appear in 2012’s The Bourne Legacy, which featured Jeremy Renner as a new character Aaron Cross, but Damon did return for 2016’s Jason Bourne.
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Reports suggest the currently-untitled sixth film is in early development at Universal. While no cast is attached, insiders claim Damon “would be approached first” about potentially returning to the role once the script is completed.
Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front won four Oscars last year (Best International Feature, Cinematography, Score, Production Design), as well as seven BAFTAs, including Best Film.
Damon recently starred in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, where he played General Leslie Groves opposite Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy. He next stars in Ethan Coen’s next film, Drive-Away Dolls, led by Margaret Qualley, and he is also set to be directed by his longtime friend Ben Affleck in the thriller Animals.