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The success of the Jason Bourne movies not only made Matt Damon a superstar but also ushered in a new era for the espionage and CIA-ordered murder genre.
The television show Treadstone fills in some of the blanks in the Jason Bourne canon by exploring the history of the CIA’s training program for assassins like Bourne. Another intriguing nugget is that a sixth Bourne film is said to be in production. Bourne, played by Matt Damon, is a CIA contract assassin who loses his memory and sets out on a mission to find himself, with the film focusing on his eventual betrayal of the agency.
Beginning with the first film in the series is the best approach to catching up on the Bourne movies if you’ve missed any of them. Here is how you should watch the Bourne movies.
Summary of the whole Bourne series
Enjoy this condensed version of the list, which is perfect for last-minute reference.
- The Bourne Identity (2002)
- The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
- The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
- The Bourne Legacy (2012)
- Jason Bourne (2016)
- Treadstone – Season 1 (2019)
- Bonus: The Bourne Identity (1988)
Bourne Movies Timeline
The Bourne Identity (2002)
After being shot twice in the back, Matt Damon’s Bourne is presented as an anonymous man. A laser projector embedded in his skin shows the combination to a safe in Zurich, and that’s all the proof anybody has. Then he sets off on his adventure, only to learn that he has been involved in a secret CIA program to train assassins the entire while. When he finally comes to after being plucked from the Mediterranean by a fishing boat, he has no memory of who he is or where he came from.
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
A full two years have passed since Bourne and Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente) disappeared after The Bourne Identity, and they have made their home in the Indian state of Goa. An unknown assailant murders the CIA’s deputy director and everyone else involved in a transaction, leaving Jason Bourne’s fingerprints at the crime scene to frame him. This murderer decides to end Bourne and Marie’s lives and goes on the hunt for them. Given Bourne’s suspicions, the CIA has stepped up its search for the assassin.
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
The Bourne Ultimatum, starring Matt Damon again as Bourne, continues the story from the conclusion of the previous film, The Bourne Supremacy. While digging into the Treadstone CIA assassin training program, he runs across journalist Simon Ross (Paddy Considine). He’s racing against the CIA to wipe out the organization and everyone involved before they can uncover his plans, and the pace of the story picks up as a result.
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
Matt Damon has never played Bourne in a film. However, the central protagonist is Defense Department employee and CIA asset Aaron Cross. Cross received training comparable to “A Jason Bourne” in a secret program called “Operation Outcome.” After uncovering the link between Operation Outcome and Treadstone, retired Air Force Colonel Eric Byer orders the executions of all Operation Outcome assets, but Cross escapes.
Jason Bourne (2016)
Jason Bourne picks up the plot a full 12 years after the events of The Bourne Ultimatum, in which Bourne exposes the Treadstone program. The amnesiac guy played by Matt Damon has recovered but is now on the run. The CIA has not given up its search for him. The company’s analyst, Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), even tracks Bourne’s father after discovering he was involved in the building of Treadstone. When Bourne learns that the CIA’s leadership is still dead and intent on killing him, he cannot help but head out to face them again.
Treadstone – Season 1 (2019)
USA Network broadcast the only season of Treadstone. The CIA operative John Randolph Bentley (Jeremy Irvine) is shown fleeing from a Soviet behavior modification experiment known as Cicada in East Berlin in 1973, making this picture both a precursor and a sequel to the Bourne film series. Next, we skip to the present day, when Treadstone assets are leading ordinary lives before being roused from their slumber to become highly trained assassins on par with Bourne.
If you wish to rewatch the series in sequence, start with Treadstone before the movies. However, the first season’s jump to the current day may confuse you. Though it stands independently, watching it after the film series may be more satisfying.
The Bourne Identity for a jolt of adrenaline (1988)
If you want to learn all there is to know about Bourne; you need to watch this 1988 ABC TV movie, which was shown in two parts. It features Richard Chamberlain’s return as Jason Bourne, and it follows a plot very similar to the film from 2002: Bourne awakens with no recollection of his past and incredible talents that he cannot explain.
While this film is technically canon with the rest of the series, its events take place later, so it is recommended to be seen after the others have already been completed.
FAQs
How should the Bourne movies be watched?
The best way to enjoy the Bourne movies is to watch them in order. The Bourne Identity (1988) and Treadstone (the 2000s) are popular miniseries that may be seen as filler.
Will there be more Bourne movies?
With any luck, the Bourne film series will keep going. To rephrase, it will either be a remake or a prequel.
Wrapping Up!
The Bourne movies are great for binge-watching since they can be seen in any order and still make sense. It a much like watching a fantastic TV show.
Even if you can’t fit all five of these movies into one sitting, they’re perfect for spreading out throughout the weekend and enjoying at your leisure.
