Jason Bourne Franchise Rights Up for Auction: Skydance, Apple, Netflix Show Interest

by Annika March 21, 2025

Jason Bourne’s safe at Universal is getting cleaned out as WME auctions the rights to the spy franchise and the wider Robert Ludlum library. The mission is to find the franchise a new base and bring the iconic secret agent back to our screens more regularly. Possible bidders for the rights include Skydance, Apple and Netflix, with Universal potentially reclaiming the franchise if they make a strong enough bid.

Jason Bourne Franchise Rights Up for Auction: Skydance, Apple, Netflix Show Interest

– The rights to the Jason Bourne franchise and the rest of the Robert Ludlum book library are being shopped by talent agency, WME, to potentially find a new home for the spy series.
– Companies such as Skydance, Apple, Netflix and Universal are reportedly interested in the rights, which could lead to a more regular screen presence for the characters.
– The Bourne franchise, which started with the Ludlum book ‘The Bourne Identity’ in 1980, has spawned multiple successful films and grossed hundreds of millions of dollars globally.

Jason Bourne’s safe deposit box at Universal is currently being cleared out. This move is prompted by WME, who is representing the deceased author Robert Ludlum’s estate, as they are negotiating the rights to the influential spy franchise and the rest of Ludlum’s works.

The intention is to locate a fresh platform for the Bourne series with the hope of increasing the frequency of Bourne’s appearances on the big screen. The spy character was last portrayed around ten years ago in Jason Bourne (2016) by Matt Damon, a production of Universal and Captivate Entertainment. The latter manages the Ludlum estate’s film rights. However, it’s premature to predict whether Damon will partake in the new series.

Potential interested parties for the rights include Skydance, Apple, and Netflix, who have reportedly conducted meetings with the Ludlum estate. Universal also has the opportunity to reclaim the rights if they put forth a compelling offer.

Jason Bourne was born from Robert Ludlum’s imagination when The Bourne Identity was first published in 1980. In 2002, the character was brought to life on the big screen by Matt Damon under director Doug Liman in the movie adaptation of The Bourne Identity. This film, premiered a few years prior to Daniel Craig’s revamped interpretation of James Bond in Casino Royale, initiated a new genre of spy films that favors authenticity over high-tech gadgetry.

Two sequels derived from Ludlum’s novels accompanied this film, The Bourne Ultimatum (2004) and The Bourne Supremacy (2007). Universal attempted to extend the series in 2012 with The Bourne Legacy, which featured Jeremy Renner as a new character, but it was unsuccessful. Damon reappeared several years later in Jason Bourne.

This move concerning Bourne occurs as the competition for intellectual property (IP) ramps up, with a declining number of well-known assets remaining available. Amazon recently took over the James Bond franchise from producers Barbara Brocoli and Michael G. Wilson.

Universal has considered reviving the Bourne franchise in the recent past. As part of this process, they hired Edward Berger, the director of Conclave, in late 2023 to revamp the series. However, development was not swift enough to bring the project to fruition.