Is there a major filmmaker of the last couple of decades who is synonymous with a franchise that they didn’t help create? A few come to mind. David Yates is known for his work in the Harry Potter series — he directed the final four films and all three Fantastic Beasts spin-offs — but he wasn’t involved at the beginning. Francis Lawrence has made the Hunger Games series his own, but the first film was directed by Gary Ross. Similarly, the Jason Bourne series would be inconceivable without Paul Greengrass‘ hand-held aesthetic, but the blockbuster action franchise’s first installment was directed by Doug Liman. His work on that movie changed the action genre forever and had a particular influence on the James Bond franchise.
You must remember that back then, the 007 series was perceived to have jumped the shark. Meanwhile, The Bourne Identity presented a more realistic version of international espionage. The Bond producers took note, and when the franchise was rebooted after Pierce Brosnan‘s tenure, it seemed to have more in common with the Bourne movies than its own predecessors. Daniel Craig‘s first Bond film, Casino Royale, borrowed the Bourne franchise’s emotional heft and grounded style. This continued throughout the course of Craig’s five-movie run.
Matt Damon’s Blockbuster Has a Terrific Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes
The first movie made Matt Damon a star and was followed by Greengrass’ two sequels — The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. Universal tried to create a spin-off series with Jeremy Renner at the center and Tony Gilroy at the helm, but audiences weren’t ready to accept a version of the franchise without Damon. And Damon wasn’t prepared to return without Greengrass. Eventually, the two agreed to make a fourth installment — Jason Bourne. While commercially successful, it wasn’t as acclaimed as its predecessors. The franchise, however, is still as popular as ever.
According to FlixPatrol, The Bourne Identity saw a surge in viewership this week, securing a spot on the global HBO Max chart. Released in 2002, the film grossed nearly $215 million worldwide against a reported budget of $60 million. It holds a “Certified Fresh” 84% critics’ score and a 93% audience score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Expertly blending genre formula with bursts of unexpected wit, The Bourne Identity is an action thriller that delivers — and then some.” Liman and Damon most recently collaborated on the 2024 Apple TV original film The Instigators. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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June 14, 2002
- Runtime
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119 minutes
- Director
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Doug Liman
- Writers
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Tony Gilroy, William Blake Herron, Robert Ludlum
- Producers
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Patrick Crowley










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