‘Jason Bourne’ Cast, News: Matt Damon Teases Possible 5th Film in Franchise, Opens Up About Intense Training Regimen

‘Jason Bourne’ lead actor Matt Damon teased that a fifth film in the franchise is possible but he may not be in it. He also opened up that the intense training regimen he had to undergo for the role as the titular rogue agent made him “suffer”.

According to the Daily Mail, Damon revealed that a fifth installment in the popular action-spy franchise is a possibility but he may be replaced as lead protagonist because of his age. He said, “My guess is it will be a while before we’ll even get around to doing another one. They might reboot me before I bow out.” Director Paul Greengrass reiterated, “It’s got to continue.”

Damon and Greengrass worked together for three films in the franchise namely 2004’s ‘The Bourne Supremacy’, 2007’s ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’, and the latest ‘Jason Bourne’. Tony Gilroy, who wrote the screenplay for each film except ‘Jason Bourne’, helmed the fourth film ‘The Bourne Legacy’ that starred Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross after Damon chose not to return.

Although Damon’s Jason Bourne was not the fourth film’s lead protagonist, the character was referenced throughout the film. Although critics praised the film’s story, it received mixed reviews with many expressing disappointment at Damon’s absence. According to Box Office Mojo, it grossed $276.14 million worldwide against a production budget of $125 million.

Meanwhile, Damon revealed that returning to the role of Jason proved to be quite a challenge. He admitted during an interview with the Guardian that he had to go through a strict diet and training regimen to get back in shape.

He said, “It was absolutely a different experience. Paul said early on, ‘Look, if we open the film and in the first frame of Jason Bournewe see your face and you look like you’ve lived well these past 10 years, we do not have a movie. You have to look like you’ve suffered. And the only way to do that is to suffer.”

It was revealed that the 45-year old’s training included 90-minute high-intensity gym sessions every day for 10 weeks with a diet that consisted of only vegetables and protein. Greengrass noted, “Brutal… It was a statement of intent. Sadly, he had to make it.”

However, the two admitted that working together was quite the experience. Greengrass said, “Making a film, every film is a big gamble, large or small… We hadn’t worked together in some years and then we came back on and suddenly there was that feeling that as a film-maker you’re not on your own. You can come on set some days and feel, ‘I don’t know about this’. The anxieties are very profound. That’s why it’s such a stressful undertaking.”

He added, “When you’ve got someone like Matt who’s going to sell it for you, who’s going to be brilliant and is committed, the feeling of empowerment is so intense. And love. He’s a fantastic man to make a film with. And we’ve been in the trenches before. We’ve been in the deepest sh*t that it’s possible to be in on a film set.”

‘Jason Bourne’ is an upcoming action-thriller film slated for release on July 29, 2016 in the United States. It is intended as the direct sequel to 2007’s ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’. It stars Damon, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel, Julia Stiles, and Tommy Lee Jones.