Only a few days ago it seemed like the fourth Jason Bourne movie was stalled and on the verge of getting canned. While both Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass have provisionally agreed to return for a fourth instalment, the difficulties finding a story that both felt was worthwhile telling was proving tough, especially as they could no longer rely on the amnesia angle of the first three movies.
However it’s now been announced that Universal are still very much interested in find a way to make the fourth film work, as they’re hired Josh Zetumer to write a new version of the script. Zetumer, who’s also working on Peter Berg’s planned version of Frank Herbert’s Dune, replaces Bourne Ultimatum writer Geroge Nolfi on the sequel, as he’s gone off to write and direct The Adjustment Bureau (which will star Damon and Emily Blunt).
The studio has described Zetumer as being hired to write a parallel script to Nolfi’s, which is probably due the fact that the new writer has been brought in to keep things going while Nolfi makes The Adjustment Bureau, with the Bourne production team hoping he’ll return after that film has wrapped. Zetumer’s script would them either became the main template for the fourth Bourne film or get integrated into Nolfi’s screenplay (as happened with parallel scripts for Wolverine).
Apparently Universal still hopes to get the fourth Bourne film in cinemas in 2011, although that’s looking like an increasingly optimistic plan.