Julia Stiles Returning for 'Bourne 5'; Viggo Mortensen Offered Villain Role

A lot of people like to cite The Dark Knight Trilogy as their favorite trilogy over the past 10-20 years. However, for me, one that seems to be forgotten quite often and in my opinion is actually BETTER is that of The Bourne Trilogy starring Matt Damon.

I remember watching the first film, The Bourne Identity, on HBO I think about a year after it came out and loving the movie. Then The Bourne Supremacy hit theaters in 2004 (which I didn't go see) but ended up buying it on DVD along with the first film and watching them both a number of times. Finally, The Bourne Ultimatum hit in 2007 and I did in fact go see this one in theaters. It was a great movie and capped off what was at the time and still is, one of the best action movie trilogies of all-time and probably in the top 10 of best film trilogies, period.

With all this, I was rather shocked and ecstatic last year when news came that Matt Damon was returning for his 4th outing as Jason Bourne along with director Paul Greengrass (he helmed Supremacy and Ultimatum). It was always widely known that Damon wouldn't come back unless Greengrass was directing and that seemed unlikely given the filmmaker's sour relationship he had with the studio, Universal, after making another Damon action film, Green Zone in 2010. But, I guess time does indeed heal all wounds, and now we have the currently untitled Bourne 5 hitting theaters next July 29th, 2016 (by the way, the fourth entry - The Bourne Legacy starring Jeremy Renner that was released in 2012 - I didn't see it and have no interest. Heard it wasn't very good).

While nothing has been released in terms of story for Damon's next outing as Bourne, we now have learned that Julia Stiles (who appeared in all three original films as covert agent Nicky Parsons) will be back for the next installment. She joins Alicia Viklander (Ex Machina) who is also in talks to join the cast. Stiles played a small role in the first film, a bit larger role in the second, and definitely a key role in the third as it was hinted her character and Damon's Bourne had a romantic relationship at one point. It's unclear what significance she will have this time around.

To top this all off, word also comes that Viggo Mortensen himself (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - yeah, I guess I forgot about that one, never saw) has been offered the role as the film's villain, an assassin tracking Bourne. Mortensen would certainly be a 'get' for the project as the man is very picky with his roles, but obviously when he does decide to do anything, he's friggin fantastic (see A History of Violence, great movie).

I'm curious if more cast members from the original trilogy will be back for this one. Joan Allen's Pamela Landy certainly comes to mind, along with David Strathairn's Noah Vosen, who both appeared in The Bourne Legacy as well. Maybe even Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross will make an appearance. 

We shall see, but I'm definitely excited for this one. Probably my most anticipated movie of 2016.

Source: Variety