MENTAL FUSS

     The Bourne Legacy will be the fourth entry in the eponymous Jason Bourne film series, which is based on the Jason Bourne novels by Robert Ludlum and Eric Van Lustbader. It is currently slated for an August 3, 2012 release. Tony Gilroy, screenwriter of the first three films, will direct the film as his third feature. Matt Damon, star of the first three films, will not return for this film, but he has not ruled out starring in any future films as long as Paul Greengrass, who directed the last two films, returns.

     The story resumes after the conclusion of The Bourne Ultimatum, as a new cast of characters grapple with the consequences of Jason's actions.

Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross

Rachel Weisz as Stephanie Snyder

Edward Norton

Joan Allen as Pamela Landy

Albert Finney as Dr. Albert Hirsch

Scott Glenn as Ezra Kramer

Stacy Keach

Oscar Isaac as Number 3

     A story centered on a new CIA operative in the universe based on Robert Ludlum's novels. The narrative architect behind the "Bourne" film series, Tony Gilroy, takes the helm in the next chapter of the hugely popular espionage franchise that has earned almost $1 billion at the global box office: "The Bourne Legacy." The writer/director expands the "Bourne" universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces us to a new hero (Jeremy Renner) whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films.

     George Nolfi, who co-wrote the screenplay for the Bourne Ultimatum film, was to write the screenplay for a fourth film, as always tacitly related to the novels by Robert Ludlum. Matt Damon was also attached to the project from the start. Julia Stiles as well as Joan Allen were asked to join the project at this time. Then this project was abruptly cancelled. When asked whether a fourth film in the franchise would get made at all, Damon said, "We can't keep going forever... we may come back and shoot some other time." Paul Greengrass was slated to return as director; however, on November 30, 2009, he said he wasn't interested in directing, and Matt Damon has since said that he won't make the film without Greengrass.

     On June 9, 2010, it was announced that Tony Gilroy would write The Bourne Legacy and it will have a 2012 release date. On October 11, 2010, it was reported Gilroy was also directing, and that Jason Bourne would not be in The Bourne Legacy. The film will not take place in a new canon; it will not be a reboot or prequel in any way, but more likely a "sidequel" or full spin-off with a new character in the mold of Bourne dealing with the ramifications of the Treadstone conspiracy. Also, Gilroy has stated that he is not ruling out a future return by Damon or Greengrass.

On January 11, 2012, the film's shooting has already started in Manila, Philippines. Before shooting began in Manila, a few short scenes were filmed on Long Island in New York.

Bourne Legacy in Manila
     Manila provided great visuals for the upcoming action thriller Bourne Legacy, its producers said.

     In a Makati interview with reporters recently, the film’s producers Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley have nothing but praises for the city where about 20 percent of the movie was filmed.

     Marshall said several locations in Manila have fitted the scenes in the storyline written by Tony Gilroy.

     “We have always tried to find exotic locations which the people have not seen before. We have been to Tangiers and Goa in India. Manila has great visuals and interesting locations. It worked well. In what Tony (Gilroy) was thinking as a writer, that he would be able to create a story around,” said Marshall.

     Marshall said the movie, starring Jeremy Renner (Hurt Locker) and Rachel Weisz (Enemy At The Gates), is almost 90 percent complete.

     According to Crowley, the film crew is only waiting for the arrival in the country of actors Louis Chang Chien and Edward Norton.

     Crowley brushed aside rumors that Norton is already in Metro Manila. Norton will shoot just one scene.

     “He (Norton) has not been here. People see him everywhere. But he is not here. It is his twin,” said Crowley with a grin.

     “We are on schedule, we have everything that we need. It is going well,” he added.

According to Crowley, the film’s production crew only has 35 days to finish the movie which will be shown in US theaters on Aug. 3.

     “We are shooting 20 to 25 percent of the movie here and there is a difference between the first unit and the second unit.  We have 17 days of the first unit and then 18 days of the second unit so we will be here for a total of 35 days.  The second unit is more of the action. The main actors are not in the second unit,” he said.

Crowley said that as in the other past Bourne movies, the upcoming film intends to show the “real parts of the city.”

     According to Crowley, scenes in Manila were shot “as is.”

     “We shot it as it is. We just added some room for rent signs. We also fixed some roofs because of a chase on the roofs but we have not changed anything. It is Manila for Manila. When we go to a city, we like to show people the real parts of the city. So like in Paris, we don’t show the Eiffel Tower. We are at the airports and in different neighborhoods,” he said.

     Meanwhile, Marshall said an established movie-making industry in the Philippines is also one factor they considered in filming some scenes of the movie here.

   “One of the reasons why we decided to go to Manila was that Jun (Juban, the film’s local producer) has been here for several years and there is an actual film structure in Manila. So there are people who know how to make movies here. And in the other cities, there really were not.  In there, we had to start from scratch while in here, we could take advantage of the knowledge and experience of the people here.  We will be way ahead by the time we started. It was a practical choice and we were also impressed by what we saw here,” said Marshall.

     Marshall also denied rumors that Matt Damon who plays agent Jason Bourne in the series will make a cameo appearance in the Bourne Legacy.