For Matt Damon, the "Bourne" films have been like a lifeblood.
"I was kind of inoculated for that five or six year period when I made the first three. I could make decisions with absolutely no thought to what the potential box office was," says Damon. "It was liberating in that sense. I knew that if I had another Jason Bourne off in the middle distance, it would kind of rescue me and keep my career afloat for a few more years."
In "Jason Bourne" (out July 29), Damon returns to the spy franchise that made him a full-blown movie star with all the freedom such status affords. Given how much 45-year-old actor credits the series with, it's a welcome homecoming.
"It's obviously the most significant thing that's happened in my career," Damon said in a recent interview from the set of Alexander Payne's "Downsizing." "I definitely knew I wanted to do it again but I was always kind of tethered to Paul (Greengrass). I knew I didn't want to do it without him."
Damon says the delay was partially caused by a struggle to find a worthy next chapter for the character. The time helped: "Jason Bourne" was inspired by Edward Snowden and more recent debate over civil liberties.
"All those people who have come up to me over the years, hopefully they're representative of a whole group of people who will go buy tickets," says Damon. "We're counting on it. You never know. It's the movie business, so it could be a total disaster."
"It's a different landscape than 2002 when the first 'Bourne' movie came out," says Matt Damon, who returns to the franchise in Paul Greengrass' "Jason Bourne" (July 29). "It's like a high-stakes poker game that I don't want to be in. The swings are just so brutal. Ben (Affleck) just opened 'Batman v Superman' a few weeks ago. Everyone around him and in his life was nervous about it. You feel less a sense of exultation when they do well and more a sense of relief because the bets are so big now."
The extended edition includes an extended cut featuring 10 minutes of brand new footage not shown in theaters as well as more than two hours of behind-the-scenes content. Included in the new material is audio commentary by renowned director Ridley Scott, writer/executive producer Drew Goddard and author of the novel Andy Weir. There is also a documentary of the science behind recreating Mars for the film; interviews with NASA specialists and engineers; and a Q&A panel discussion about the planned journey to mars featuring commentary from NASA experts.
NEW Special Features Content Includes:
Audio Commentary by Ridley Scott (Director), Drew Goddard (Writer, Exec Producer) and Andy Weir (Author of The Martian)
Deleted Scenes
The Long Way Home: Making the Martian
Dare Mighty Things: NASA’s Journey to Mars
Journey to Mars 101 Q&A
