Four Actors to Screen Test for‘Bourne’ Spin-Off

Over a year after Paul Greengrass and Matt Damonbowed outof the Bourne franchise, Universal and writer/director Tony Gilroy have lined up four potential actors to star inThe Bourne Legacy, a spin-off of the Damon trilogy intended as a“new chapter” in the same mysterious spy thriller universe.

Earlier this month, amaster listof actors in their late 20s and early 30s leaked to the trade news sites, including just about everyone, most of whom you might expect to vie for a high profile gig like Bourne. But puny names like Paul Dano and Tobey Maguire left many scratching their heads and the rest were generally underwhelming. All eyes are on Gilroy as he takes the series in a new direction, and this casting is undeniably the most important step in its continued success (or abrupt failure).

Deadlinehas learned the names of who will screen test for the part, which, for the uninitiated, is basically a filmed scene with the actor in a realistic environment to give the decision-makers an opportunity to see how the candidate fits into their vision for the film.

I prepared a dossier for each of the four candidates below, but the outlet also says ubiquitous 24-year-oldShia LaBeoufmay also be in the mix (but won’t test), as well as former“Friday Night Lights” actorTaylor Kitsch. Do you have a favorite from those below?

Actor:Joel Edgerton
Age:36
Origin:Sydney, Australia
Notable Movies:Star Wars: Episodes II and III, Animal Kingdom, and the upcoming remake of The Thing
Why He’ll Do:In the likely scenario where Treadstone is expanding its covert operations globally and recruiting from anywhere on the planet, an Australian addition to the spy force seems like a distinct possibility. Particularly since Edgerton is a capable actor and physically formidable, but otherwise an average-looking gentleman who could very easily blend into a crowd of, say, lumberjacks or bloggers. I also personally prefer the role go to a relative unknown rather than the same rotating crop of young, able-bodied talent.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:
No one has heard of him. Universal is essentially relaunching the franchise with a new face, and Edgerton’s name above the title or visage plastered on a poster does nothing for most people (outside of Australia). Edgerton is likely to inspire a string of questions from fans instead of the usual reluctant acquiescence that comes with a big budget reboot.

Actor:Dominic Cooper
Age:32
Origin:London, England
Notable Movies:Mamma Mia!, An Education, Tamara Drewe, Captain America: The First Avenger and the upcoming Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Why He’ll Do:Cooper exudes a sort of charming magnetism on screen that engages you enough to listen to what he has to say. How that translates to Bourne, well, I have no idea.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:Without the day-old scruff, Cooper resembles a baby-faced twentysomething. He’s small in stature and wholly un-intimidating, especially when flashing a pair of kind eyes and a winning smirk. A departure from Damon’s Bourne is to be expected, but he should at least look like he could take a punch.

Actor:Garrett Hedlund
Age:26
Origin:Roseau, Minnesota
Notable Movies:Eragon, Tron: Legacy, Country Strong, and the upcoming On the Road
Why He’ll Do:Hedlund is the most recognizable of the four listed actors, and he’s rakishly handsome. He’s also cultivated a growing following of female fans who may be willing to sit through the spin-off’s inevitable car chases and swoon when Hedlund sports his own brand of roguish charm. Hedlund is also the youngest, which to a studio executive means he is the most capable of carrying the franchise longer.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:It feels like I missed a meeting somewhere, sometime where and when everyone gathered together to decide that Garrett Hedlund should become a Hollywood star. Maybe my invitation got lost in the mail. But I wish I had been at that pivotal congregation, if only so I could hear the reasons why, of all people, Hedlund was chosen as the“next big thing,” and perhaps the gavel pound that rendered Sam Worthington obsolete.

Actor:Luke Evans
Age:31
Origin:Pontypool, Wales
Notable Movies:Clash of the Titans, Robin Hood, and (upcoming) The Raven, The Three Musketeers, and Immortals
Why He’ll Do:Like it or not, Evans is coming up. It’s just a matter of whether or not Universal wants to lock in the actor while he’s on his way into the spotlight rather than someone who may already be established.
Why He’s a Poor Choice:Evans looks more like a candidate for James Bond, not Bourne. So, in this makeshift showdown between Bond and Bourne that the media has created, does the fresher franchise want to appear further influenced by 007’s polished, European demeanor?

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