It’s been quite a ride on the 2025 movie schedule, and not all of the fun and games has come from projects released in a theater near you. The world of cinematic spies is especially perilous these days, as Amazon-MGM’s rumored James Bond plans have thrown a long standing franchise into a state of uncertainty.
You can now say the same for the Jason Bourne movies, as potential rights shift could see a fresh start for the series. While that does excite me, it also brings the worry that a theme park delight I rather enjoy could be going away sooner than anyone would expect.
We’ve Been Long Overdue For A Jason Bourne Reboot
It was revealed by THR that the late Robert Ludlum’s estate is now the Bourne of the ball, as the rights previously held by Universal Pictures are now up for grabs. The legacy studio is still in the running, as there’s the possibility it may outbid potential bidders from Skydance, Apple, and Netflix - all of whom are reportedly in the running.
Now those of you familiar with my work might think my loyalty to the James Bond franchise is also shared with Matt Damon’s espionage thriller saga. But I’m absolutely all in on a reboot of this universe, especially when Apple TV+ could do for Jason Bourne the same thing it did for Slow Horses.
Unfortunately, that probably means the promise of Edward Berger’s proposed Bourne movie is off the table, should Universal lose out. Which would be a great shame, but somehow that wasn't the first thing that came to mind with all of this reboot talk.
So since we’re talking about loss, I will share my theme park-based fear connected to this potential fresh start. Should a new party control the adaptations of Robert Ludlum's novels, the current roster of Universal Orlando’s rides and attractions could change in a way that would break my Treadstone’d heart.
Jason Bourne’s Rights Could Cause A Major Concern For The Bourne Stuntacular
Should this ultimatum see Jason Bourne leave Universal’s legacy care, a new identity could form - which doesn’t always guarantee supremacy. It also doesn’t guarantee that Universal Studios Orlando is safe from rights issues with a new production company.
Similar to how The Simpsons Ride’s fate continues to be questioned after the 2019 Fox/Disney merger, the particulars of The Bourne Stunttacular’s existence could be challenged in one of two pretty big ways. Hypothetical Scenario #1 would be that Universal’s ability to operate this Bourne series attraction would expire, eventually seeing The Bourne Stuntacular closed on the other end of that ticking clock.
However, Hypothetical Scenario #2 would be an option that sees Universal Parks and Experiences able to still operate the dynamic stage show… in exchange for an agreed upon royalty. That presents trouble, as if the entertainment company doesn’t want to pay up, The Bourne Stuntacular could close abruptly; Kingda Ka style.
As if it wasn’t bad enough that Orlando’s Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is closing in 2025, there’s now a potential to free up some space in another part of the park’s campus. Now unless they decide to bring back Terminator 2: 3D - Battle Across Time, or they come up with a really killer Wicked stage show, this could mean another empty space waiting for a new purpose.
Universal Studios Orlando already has the lack of a replacement for Fear Factor Live! to deal with, and losing Jason Bourne would remove a key source of entertainment and air conditioning. Perhaps if someone higher up understands the importance of Universal Studios’ non-ride attractions, we could see a reprieve.
Or maybe this hypothetical worrying is all for naught, and The Bourne Stuntacular could remain in place. As crowds who visit that stage show can tell you, it ain’t over until Moby sings. I don’t hear “Extreme Ways,” do you?
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