Jason Bourne Movies In Order
Jason Bourne is a fictional character created by author Robert Ludlum. He is the protagonist of a series of thriller novels, which were later adapted into a successful film franchise. The Bourne series is known for its combination of espionage, action, and amnesia-driven mystery.
Jason Bourne is introduced as a highly skilled and trained operative working for a secretive government agency. However, he suffers from amnesia and has no memory of his past or who he really is. Throughout the series, he is on a quest to uncover his true identity while being pursued by both his former employers and various enemies.
The Bourne films’ covert drama, political intrigue, and high-stakes action attracted fans. All but one movie in the Matt Damon-led series grossed USD 1.6 billion worldwide, making it one of cinema’s most lucrative character-driven action franchises. We produced this guide to help viewers traverse the action movie series thus far. See how to watch Bourne films chronologically or by release date below.
Five Bourne films were released between 2002 and 2016. Treadstone, a 2019 TV series, is related to the films. The Bourne Identity (1988) is not in this timeline. That film was based on the same novel series as the Damon-led Bourne franchise but is unrelated.
Jason Bourne Movies in Chronological Order
| Movie Title | Release Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| “The Bourne Identity” | 2002 | Doug Liman |
| “The Bourne Supremacy” | 2004 | Paul Greengrass |
| “The Bourne Ultimatum” | 2007 | Paul Greengrass |
| “The Bourne Legacy” | 2012 | Tony Gilroy |
| “Jason Bourne” | 2016 | Paul Greengrass |
These blurbs include minor character, location, and story spoilers.
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Matt Damon’s performance of CIA assassin Jason Bourne, who is recovered at sea with two gunshot wounds and no memory of his identity, began his action star career in 2002’s The Bourne Identity. Bourne seeks to understand who he is and how he learned his remarkable self-defense, hand-to-hand combat, and weaponry skills with the help of the daring German vagabond Marie (Franka Potente) while being followed by deadly assassins. Matt Damon took the job when Brad Pitt, Russell Crowe, Sylvester Stallone, and Tom Cruise declined, and he trained for three months to perform many of his stunts. The first film of this gripping franchise introduced Brian Cox’s CIA Deputy Director Ward Abbott and Julia Stiles’ Treadstone operator Nicky Parsons. The Bourne Identity was a worldwide hit with a $214 million profit and rave reviews for its fast-paced plot, ruthless action, and Damon’s Bourne. Two years after the film’s success, a sequel was released quickly.
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
The highly anticipated sequel The Bourne Supremacy follows Jason Bourne as he tries to live a low-key existence in Goa, India, with Marie Kreutz while dealing with his amnesia. After being blamed for murdering a fellow spy in a political scheme, his newfound serenity is short-lived. Two years after the last film, Bourne is pursued by Russian Secret Service Agent Kirill (Karl Urban) and Task Force Chief Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) and forced to run again. While evading the CIA and Kirill, Bourne realizes his identity and the organization’s duplicity while pursuing his history. Landy tells Bourne his name is David Webb after a terrible battle with several losses. Bourne hides again after the life-changing revelation, planning his next move.
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
The Bourne Ultimatum, the series’ crowning achievement, follows Jason Bourne as he investigates his past after learning his real name at the end of the second film. As the new Treadstone black ops upgrade led by determined Deputy Director Noah Vosen (David Strathairn), Bourne traverses the world in search of the answers to the mysteries behind his mysterious existence. Bourne is enlightened by Pamela Landy and his Paris-based Treadstone contact, Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), about his background with Treadstone. After meeting with Dr. Albert Hirsch (Albert Finney), Bourne recalls key details about his time in Treadstone’s behavioral modification program and makes a pact to expose Operation Blackbriar to the media and press. As he struggles with Vosen, Bourne escapes by jumping into the East River.
The Bourne Ultimatum earned over $441 million at the box office and three Oscar nominations, making it the franchise’s most critically acclaimed and financially successful film. One of the best films of the year, according to the National Board of Review. Damon would not be returning for the sequel despite the film’s popularity.
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
The Bourne Legacy is the first film in the franchise without Matt Damon, who declined to return owing to director Paul Greengrass’ absence. Instead, Avengers star Jeremy Renner led the sequel, directed by Tony Gilroy, about black ops agent and Operation Outcome member Aaron Cross after Jason Bourne exposes Operation Blackbriar to the public and press. Outcome’s six agents, including Cross, must take them daily to maintain their physical and mental advantages to perform their missions better. After assassins kill them, Cross flees with supersoldier program head Colonel Eric Byer (Edward Norton) and research scientist Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz). The Bourne Legacy didn’t match its predecessor’s box office performance, although it received mixed reviews. Renner performed a good job running the franchise, but fans missed Damon. Longtime fans were thrilled when Damon reprised Jason Bourne in the 2016 picture, the last.
Jason Bourne (2016)
In this last part of the massively successful film series, former CIA operative Ethan Hunt must again go on the run when CIA director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) poses a fresh threat. In Jason Bourne, Matt Damon returned to the role of the eponymous assassin. He is in charge of the Iron Hand operation and is pressing for Bourne to come forward. Dewey gives Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander), the head of the CIA’s Cyber Ops Division, the mission of capturing Bourne and Nicky Parsons. After 12 years have passed since The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne investigates his father’s role in creating and recruiting Treadstone. The past is fully retrievable for him. Even though Lee threatens to kill Bourne if he doesn’t return to the organization, the sly ex-assassin always outsmarts them. The most recent installment is the sixth film. Unfortunately, Treadstone, a 2019 TV show, was canceled after just one season. In 2016, Damon stated that he “might be done” with the Bourne franchise but would be interested in working on a crossover project with Jeremy Renner.
