Jason Bourne Is Getting a TV Spinoff Series, ‘Treadstone’
It’s one of Robert Ludlum’s lesser known spy novels: The Bourne Spinoff.
Okay, that’s not a real thing. But a Jason Bourne spinoff is coming to television soon. Variety reports that USA Network has greenlit a Treadstone series, based on the clandestine spy group featured in the Ludlum novels and films
The series, which was originally ordered to pilot back in April, centers on the fictional CIA black ops program Operation Treadstone, which was the program that created superspy Jason Bourne. The covert program uses behavior modification protocol to turn recruits into nearly superhuman assassins. The first season follows sleeper agents across the globe as they’re mysteriously “awakened” to resume their deadly missions. The series will go into production in 2019.
The Bourne franchise became the signature spy series of the 2000s, thanks to Matt Damon’s haunted performance as amnesiac secret agent Jason Bourne, and Paul Greengrass’ taut, handheld action scenes. But previous attempts to extend the franchise were less successful. The Bourne Legacy, with Jeremy Renner as a similar Treadstone agent (with a hunger for chems!), was as critical flop and remains the series’ lowest-grossing film. After that, Damon and Greengrass were coaxed out of Bourne retirement for Jason Bourne, though that was a bit of a commercial disappointment as well.
Damon and Greengrass aren’t involved in the spinoff, which will be produced by Tim Kring and directed (at least for the pilot) by Ramin Bahrani. The Treadstone series goes into production in 2019.
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