The Jason Bourne franchise has made a name for itself as the American answer to James Bond in the film world, and now it's looking to expand its universe with a television prequel. Titled Treadstone, USA's latest pilot order could introduce way more depth to the film's primary antagonist organization, and maybe even tie in with the future of the film franchise, Jason Bourne be damned.
As anyone familiar with the Bourne franchise will know, Treadstone is the name of the CIA Black Ops program responsible for reprogramming agents into brainwashed superhuman assassins. Treadstone will explore the origins of the controversial program, as well as track the program in the present day pre-Jason Bourne. As for the story, The Hollywood Reporter notes that the plot will follow sleeper agents around the globe when they're "mysteriously awakened" in order to resume their missions. The plot details are very interesting, and it could open the door for potential film crossovers with future Bourne films, although with the project still in pilot status, perhaps it's best to just hope it gets a series order for now.
Treadstone hails from Universal Cable Productions and is written and executive produced by Tim Kring. Kring is best known as the creator and driving force behind shows like Heroes and Crossing Jordan, so jumping into the genre of brainwashed spies shouldn't be a subject he can't tackle. Ramin Bahrani, who directed HBO's upcoming adaptation of Fahrenheit 451, will direct the pilot and serve as an executive producer. Matt Damon is seemingly not attached to the project in any way, which is fitting, considering Jason Bourne will allegedly not be around in this project.
Keeping Bourne out of Treadstone would appear to be a smart move for the franchise, as the chances of some of these characters on the potential series finding their way to the big screen are better than the chances Matt Damon will appear regularly (or at all) on the series. Removing Jason Bourne from the plot will keep the show from having to constantly reference someone who may never show up on Treadstone, and also introduce some new characters to the franchise, much like the films attempted to do with The Bourne Legacy.
Treadstone is the best shot the Bourne franchise has at staying alive for a while, as Matt Damon said he wasn't too keen to jump into another film after completing Jason Bourne. Should Treadstone make it to series, it will surely keep the option for future films alive, and may even one day get a shot at having its own movie.
Treadstone is still in pilot status at USA, and no series order or release date has been given at this time. For more on upcoming television that is guaranteed to be on TV soon, visit our midseason premiere guide and summer premiere guide.
