NBCUniversal Secures Rights to Expand Jason Bourne and Treadstone Franchise

NBCUniversal has secured all rights, apart from publishing, to Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne and Treadstone book series. This move ensures the Bourne franchise’s future across NBCUniversal, paving the way for further installments of Ludlum’s character and the spy world he operates in. The shift brings an end to the screen rights discussions initiated by WME in March on behalf of the late author’s estate.

– NBCUniversal has acquired all rights, except publishing, to Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne and Treadstone book series, ensuring the future of the Bourne franchise.
– Under the agreement, producer Frank Marshall, who has been involved with the Bourne movies since 2002, will continue to work on future installments of the series.
– Plans are in place to expand the Bourne franchise across Universal’s varied platforms.

After stepping away for a short period, Jason Bourne has firmly settled at Universal. Today, NBCUniversal revealed its acquisition of all rights, with the exception of publishing, to Robert Ludlum’s celebrated Jason Bourne and Treadstone book series, forevermore. As per the studio, this deal strengthens the fate of the Bourne franchise within the NBCUniversal divisions and sets the stage for fresh episodes about Ludlum’s much-adored character and the espionage world he resides in. This change ensued after the release of the screen rights in March, when WME started marketing the rights to the spy franchise and the rest of Robert Ludlum’s collection on the deceased author’s estate’s behalf.

“From its premier in 2002, the influential Bourne franchise has refashioned the spy genre with innovative movies that established new norms for cinematic action,” Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer voiced in an announcement. “We’re invigorated to perpetuate extending the Bourne universe in the future with captivating new stories for international audiences.” Under the fresh agreement, producer Frank Marshall will persist in working on the fresh episodes of the film series. Marshall, who also produces Jurassic World for the studio, has been part of the Bourne series since the inaugural 2002 movie.

“We are excited that the Bourne franchise will remain at Universal,” declared Jeffrey Weiner, chairman and CEO of Captivate Entertainment and executor of Ludlum’s estate. “We are eager to collaborate with the Universal team to broaden the Bourne franchise across Universal’s diverse platforms.”

The character of Jason Bourne is the brainchild of author Ludlum, who first introduced him in The Bourne Identity in 1980. Twenty years later, star Damon and director Doug Liman introduced him to the movie world with 2002’s The Bourne Identity. The film, which came just before Daniel Craig’s reimagined realistic James Bond in Casino Royale, started a new era of spy movies that leaned towards realism over high-tech gadgets.

The film spawned two sequels based on Ludlum’s books, The Bourne Ultimatum in 2004, and The Bourne Supremacy in 2007. Universal extended the franchise with actor Jeremy Renner playing a different character in The Bourne Legacy in 2012. However, it did not stick. A few years later, Damon returned with Jason Bourne, which achieved $415 million globally.