It’s official. Paul Greengrass has dropped out of the fourth Bourne film. The Playlist called this yesterday and Universal has a statement today. In it, Greengrass denies speculation that his departure is related to the studio rewriting the script without consulting him. He also gives Universal a big smooch:
“You won’t find a more devoted supporter of the ‘Bourne’ franchise than me. I will always be grateful to have been the caretaker to Jason Bourne over the course of ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ and ‘The Bourne Ultimatum.’ I’m very proud of those films and feel they express everything I most passionately believe about the possibility of making quality movies in the mainstream. My decision to not return a third time as director is simply about feeling the call for a different challenge. … I’ve been lucky enough to have made four films for Universal, and our relationship continues. Jason Bourne existed before me and will continue, and I hope to remain involved in some capacity as the series moves on.â€
Universal plans to carry on without Greengrass, but it’s not clear who will direct. While everyone tries to figure this out, go see Green Zone, which is basically Bourne 4 with a different title.