Universal made a pair of key moves on its schedule today, moving the next installment of the Bourne saga to 2016. In its place, the studio has decided to schedule the planned N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton.
Back in November, the studio picked Fast & Furious franchise helmer Justin Lin to direct the follow-up to 2012’s The Bourne Legacy, That film had Jeremy Renner becoming the face of the franchise after three films lead by Matt Damon. Universal was aiming to release the film among the mass of summer 2015 blockbusters next year, but cooler heads have prevailed.
The studio had the movie scheduled for Aug. 14, 2015, but has now pushed it to July 15, 2016, notes The Hollywood Reporter. Frank Marshall will be producing with Captivate Entertainment’s Ben Smith and Jeffrey Weiner and Lin.
Bourne 5 will now face another fifth film in a franchise, Ice Age 5.
Since Straight Outta Compton will appeal to a different audience than Bourne, Universal executives have decided to give that film the Aug. 15, 2015 date. According to TheWrap, Corey Hawkins has just joined the film to play Dr. Dre, while Ice Cube’s son, O'Shea Jackson Jr., will play Ice Cube. Jason Mitchell was cast as Eazy-E.
F. Gary Gary (Friday) is directing Straight Outta Compton.
Universal had to realize that moving Bourne 5 to summer 2016 was the best idea to give it a chance, considering the blockbusters that are set for next year. The studio does have Jurassic World, Ted 2 and the Despicable Me spinoff Minions already scheduled for that summer. Had the movie come out in August 2015, it would have had to face Goosebumps and Assassin’s Creed.
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