Matt Damon is taking over the Bourne franchise again

Just two years after a spin-off that saw Jeremy Renner take over the popular Bourne film series, original star Matt Damon — who played the title character in The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum — is in talks to return for a fourth outing in the series. Director Paul Greengrass, who helmed Supremacy and Ultimatum, is also slated to return.

"This is an absolute stunner," says Deadline, who first reported the news citing multiple sources. "Greengrass told Deadline as recently as last year that once Bourne regained his memory, there was no place else for the character to go creatively."

Damon's return to the franchise bumps an already-announced sequel to the Jeremy Renner-starring Bourne Legacy, which was planned for release on July 15, 2016. That date will now be used for Damon's return to the franchise, with Renner's installment remaining in development for a later release date.

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