134 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

The "Bourne Ultimatum" Plan
Posted: Thursday December 9th, 2004 5:13pm
Source: Dark Horizons
Author: Garth Franklin

'The Unsomnambulist' attended a screening of "The Bourne Supremacy" last night at Arclight Cinemas that was followed by a Q & A with producer Frank Marshall. Here's his report:

"Nothing terribly new and surprising to come of it. Frank was adamant that "Indiana Jones 4" would happen, and mentioned that "The Bourne Ultimatum" was currently being writter for a 2006 shoot start, since Matt Damon is busy til then, as is director Paul Greengrass who'll return after helming the "Watchmen" comic adaptation.

Frank also said he would be directing again soon, a true story about Japanese explorers in Antarctica and their sled dogs they had to abandon"

Thanks again to 'The Unsomnambulist'.

http://www.darkhoriz...s04/041209d.php

[Turn]

I just read The Bounre Supremacy had a great first day of its DVD release with 2.5 million sold in the U.S. That doesn't compare with a Shrek or Spider-man 2 or something like that, but the article still said those are good numbers for such a title.

[Icephoenix]

Greengrass is returning!? Oh crap. I was hoping for Liman, or at least someone fresh.

[Loomis]

From the hints I take from SUPREMACY, ULTIMATUM may well feature

/spoiler.gif

Julia Stiles' Nicky in a much larger role than before, possibly becoming Bourne's love interest, and Bourne investigating his origins as David Webb. The return of Joan Allen's Pamela Landy also appears to be on the cards - no doubt she'll become Bourne's "M" figure.

/gen_line.gif

As for locations, I'd really love to see Bourne in the Far East, with Oliver Wood's cinematography capturing China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, wherever, in a gritty and vivid way that we should only be so lucky to see in a Bond film. Bourne in London would also be great.

So much potential for this to become a really terrific series of films.

Can't believe they're doing INDIANA JONES 4, though. I keep coming back to the thought that Spielberg and Lucas must have one of the absolute greatest ideas of all time for this film, otherwise there's no way on earth they'd be making it, especially with an elderly Ford (I mean, it's not as though they need the money). Then again, how come they've been talking about INDY 4 for years and years, and yet it's never actually ended up getting made? I mean, these are surely two of the most powerful men in Hollywood - why can't they just make the flippin' thing happen instead of just spouting about it?

[Mister Asterix]

I be happy if the entire team returned from Supremacy except Tremble McQuakenshiver, the cameraman.

[Simon]

I be happy if the entire team returned from Supremacy except Tremble McQuakenshiver, the cameraman.

Excellent! lol

[JackChase007]

Oh, no....Loomis, I really hope they don't intend to do what you said.

/spoiler.gif

The thing is, Marie is supposed to be Bourne/Webb's great love, but she's dead. And I think what would give the Bourne series its own weight is if it DIDN'T pull a Bond and have a brand-spanking-new Bourne girl.

/gen_line.gif

Just my two cents.

[Loomis]

I guess. Then again,

/spoiler.gif

it's not as though Nicky's a new character.

/gen_line.gif

What I really hope they won't do is have Bourne meeting up with his parents. I'd hate to see an INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE-type movie with someone like Robert Redford as Bourne's dad.

[Icephoenix]

No way, if anyone it would be Richard Chamberlain

[Loomis]

Going by the recent form of both franchises, I have the feeling that BOURNE 3 will eat BOND 21 alive, in terms of both quality and box office. Oh, well, still looking forward to BOND 21, obviously - I'm sure it'll have its moments.

[JackChase007]

But my point is

/spoiler.gif

is that they shouldn't give Bourne another love interest just for the sake of giving him one, and having Nicky fulfill that role sounds exactly like that. And let's face it - what basis do they have for a relationship based on what we've seen? I just think it's a desperate attempt by the filmmakers to throw in the obligatory love interest, whether it's a new character or not.

/gen_line.gif

[Loomis]

Yeah, you're right. Still,

/spoiler.gif

I'd like to see Stiles given a bigger role in ULTIMATUM.

/gen_line.gif

One thing I think we'll definitely agree on from the get-go is that John Powell must come back and give us another superb score.

[Mister Asterix]

Um... could you read the book to find out what might happen? Or did they ignore the book for Supremacy?

[Loomis]

did they ignore the book for Supremacy?

They did. Book and film are as different as the novel "The Spy Who Loved Me" and the movie THE SPY WHO LOVED ME - I think the only thing that connects the two is a hero called Jason Bourne (who in any case is nothing like the character played by Matt Damon). I think, because I gave up reading "Supremacy" halfway through, finding it appallingly-written, cliched, intelligence-insulting drivel ("Identity" isn't bad, though).

Still, it's always possible that they'll mine Ludlum's "Ultimatum" for script elements.

[JackChase007]

I agree completely with you, Loomis, on a few points:
1) I definately wouldn't mind seeing Stiles getting a bigger role, just not in the capacity that we mentioned.
2) John Powell MUST come back. His score for Supremacy is one of my three favorite film scores of the year.
3) Ludlum's Supremacy is dreadfully dull, over-written dreck. Good luck to anyone getting through that. It had promise, but there just wasn't enough there to keep me reading.

[Icephoenix]

I managed to finish it, and I thought it was a fantastic read! The only thing that bothered me was the constant whining of Bourne's inner monologue. It was worse in Identity I suppose. It had some very clever idea's and a good insight into the gritty reality of the spy world.

[JackChase007]

Also, my problem with the novels (more so with Supremacy) is that I find Marie to be quite irritating, and more of a burden to Bourne than anything else. Not to mention, I just think that Ludlum is tremendously repetitive with his narrative, and for a long, drawn-out novel like his, it just doesn't help.

What I would like to see with Ultimatum is the introduction of a Carlos-type rival assassin who is going after Bourne, and instead of the CIA also in hot pursuit, maybe we see Joan Allen's character trying to find Bourne first in order to come to his aide. I dunno, just an idea!

[Icephoenix]

I was thinking, as the movies and books are so different, what about seeing the original Jason Bourne (the man Webb killed and stole his name in the books) coming back for revenge, say he survived whatever execution was planned for him?

[JackChase007]

I was thinking, as the movies and books are so different, what about seeing the original Jason Bourne (the man Webb killed and stole his name in the books) coming back for revenge, say he survived whatever execution was planned for him?

That's a fantastic idea! It gives us the rival assassin (instead of Carlos), and also, delves a little more into Bourne's past, without going into that hokey, cheesy territory as Loomis pointed out (visiting ol' Mom 'n' Pop Webb), but giving us a better idea of who Webb is and hints of the jobs he has done in the past.

[DanMan]

The story will probably start off in Missiouri with Bourne investigating his past and I'm hoping, like Loomis, for an Asian location.

[00-FAN008]

I just want to see "The Ballad of Jason Bourne".

[Tarl_Cabot]

I like the shaky camera actually. It put you in the action...the car chase was really tense. I like that Greenglass is coming back.I like Bourne 2 better than 1 so this is good news but I don't wanna wait till 2007!

INDY 4? Forgeddabout it!

Ford is older than the dirt that covered the Lost Ark.

[Bondian]

Yeah, 'handheld' give a 'documentary' realistic feel about it!.

[Icephoenix]

I like the hand-held approach also - but not to the point where you can't see the actual fight. It annoyed me immensely when all you could see was a foot here - and elbow there - an ear over there. Liman had more control over it. The hand-held approach is like after-shave, just a little can be pleasant - to much will just make people sick.

[SnakeEyes]

I (struggled) finished Supremacy. The film has some elements, like the fake Bourne to lure the real one out and the fact that JB doesn't know which side to trust, if any. Well; that's about it really... At least Marie almost got raped in it. Haha.

I agree with Chase about Stiles involvement in the next film, but also agree she should have more screen time. I just pray they don't turn it into a 'next Bond' kinda affair.

I don't think the real Bourne coming back would be very cool, he was supposed to be a noone double agent trash who simply got executed by Webb because he was complete scum. I'd like that idea to be kept; but also would love a 'Carlos' type. Why not just invent a random somebody to claim to be Bourne's origional 'big picture' target for the Treadstone project? They can invent anything really.

[Loomis]

The film has some elements, like the fake Bourne to lure the real one out and the fact that JB doesn't know which side to trust, if any.

Given that they seem to be using "the odd element" from the novels, I guess the idea of a "Carlos-type rival assassin" as the villain of THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM seems quite possible.

I hope we don't learn too much about Bourne's origins in the third film (unless it's going to be the final film, which I hope it won't be) - I'd prefer him to keep a strong sense of mystery across a few more movies, keep on being that "blank canvas" kinda guy.

They gotta keep playing on his amnesia in ULTIMATUM. I don't want to see a Bourne flick in which our hero is totally cured and right as rain and being sent out by the M-like Pamela Landy on regular missions, a la Bond. Let's say Bourne learns he had a wife and child (as he learns in Ludlum's "Identity"), and they may be in danger, so he needs to go and rescue them, but maybe he never actually had a wife and child at all, and it's all a plot by the villains, taking advantage of his amnesia to lure him into a trap. Or something.

[JackChase007]

Let's say Bourne learns he had a wife and child (as he learns in Ludlum's "Identity"), and they may be in danger, so he needs to go and rescue them, but maybe he never actually had a wife and child at all, and it's all a plot by the villains, taking advantage of his amnesia to lure him into a trap. Or something.

Not a bad idea, Loomis, although

/spoiler.gif

in the original novel, his wife and child had died years ago

/gen_line.gif

. But hey, as has been pointed out previously, they only follow a few elements from the novels here and there.

But I do have to say, I still like the idea of the "original" Jason Bourne trying to find Webb. Sure, in the novel, he was supposed to be a rather moronic, deranged psychopath, but what if for the movie he became more of a Carlos-type competitor of Webb?

[Antiriad]

If they *have* to do a Indy IV (Id rather they didnt) I hope its about Atlantis. I enjoyed the old Scumm game a lot over a decade ago.

[Icephoenix]

But I do have to say, I still like the idea of the "original" Jason Bourne trying to find Webb.  Sure, in the novel, he was supposed to be a rather moronic, deranged psychopath, but what if for the movie he became more of a Carlos-type competitor of Webb?

Cheers Jackchase, I quite like the idea of the original coming back to face off against 'the pretender'. It would be an awesome showdown, especially with a man solely hunting down David, who doesn't even remember the man the 'killed'.

[JackChase007]

It would be an awesome showdown, especially with a man solely hunting down David, who doesn't even remember the man the 'killed'.

Yes, it would be very interesting - a rivalry of the ages, however Webb can't even remember hating this man. And you could even go back to the original novels and borrow some further elements:
We learn in Ultimatum that, like in the Identity novel, Webb underwent plastic surgery to make himself look more like the real Jason Bourne. And then, borrowing from Ludlum's Supremacy, the real Bourne could have gotten plastic surgery done on himself to make HIM look like DAVID WEBB (just like the Bourne imposter in the Supremacy novel, if I remember correctly).

Hell, I think between the three of us here, we could come up with one kick- screenplay for The Bourne Ultimatum...