Universal Pictures has reached a long-term deal with Ludlum Entertainment to have exclusive rights to using author Robert Ludlum’s popular character Jason Bourne in future installments of the Bourne franchise.
As we all know, all the usual suspects, including Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass, are returning for the currently in-development and untitled Bourne 4 for a 2010 release. The studio is also developing a movie based on a book owned by Ludlum Entertainment called The Sigma Protocol and the agreement includes a first-look producing deal for Ludlum Entertainment to develop other properties in its library with Universal.
Universal’s President of Production Donna Langley and Co-President of Production/Executive Vice President Jimmy Horowitz had this to say about the deal…
The Bourne films have redefined the action genre with their smart and fast-paced approach.
We look forward to bringing more Bourne stories to fans all over the globe. The Bourne franchise is one of our crown jewels at Universal. We are thrilled to be in business with our partners from Ludlum Entertainment for the foreseeable future.
Aside from the 4th Bourne movie, no word as to how many they actually plan on ultimately making in the future. But from the sounds of it — and from how much money this property makes — it could be a good little handful of films when it’s all said and done.
