One by one, the list of hot projects that all the actors in Hollywood (and elsewhere) are chasing has been ticked off as high-profile roles such as Captain America, Jack the Giant Killer and Spider-Man have been filled. But there always seem to be new ones cropping up to replace them, and the latest part generating some hefty buzz is Tony Gilroy’s **Bourne **series spin-off, The Bourne Legacy.
According to Deadline, the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Joel Edgerton, Josh Hartnett, Tobey Maguire, Paul Dano, Michael Pitt, Oscar Isaac, Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Luke Evans, Alex Pettyfer, Taylor Kitsch and Benjamin Walker have all either taken meetings with the writer/director or are being considered. What, no Sam Worthington?
That’s certainly a long list, and though it’s understandable why just about every young actor would want a crack at it, several of those names above are the repeat offenders who get linked to every role under the sun these days (we’re looking at you Pettyfer. And you, Kitsch). So even if they’re chasing the part, chances are they’ll fall out due to scheduling issues.
Plus, there’s the issue of carrying the Bourne-free Bourne entry in the franchise, since Matt Damon won't be back this time. The work done by Damon and Paul Greengrass in the last couple of outings will be tough acts to follow, and no one wants to be the person who besmirched the legacy of the franchise (see what we did there, eh? Eh?)
Variety reports that Gilroy apparently has his list of top picks, and Universal’s executives have also been suggesting names, which explains the rather long list above. Expect that to be trimmed quickly, as Gilroy wants to get shooting the thing by the autumn ready for a planned release in August next year.