Zendaya Considered to Lead Reboot of Jason Bourne

Universal is exploring a reboot of the Bourne franchise and has discussed casting Zendaya in the lead, industry writer Jeff Sneider wrote on X and his site The Insidener. Talks are in very early stages and neither the studio nor Zendaya's publicity team has confirmed anything.

The series, based on Robert Ludlum's novels, introduced Matt Damon as an amnesiac former assassin in 2002 and last returned with Jason Bourne in 2016. Zendaya has shown both dramatic range and action chops — from supporting work in the Spider-Man films to her role as Chani in the Dune franchise — making a gender-swapped take on Bourne a plausible direction.

A female spy could give the reboot a fresh angle distinct from Damon's run, which was noted for its nuance and physicality. Universal has tried to move beyond Damon's portrayal before. The Bourne Legacy (2012), directed by Tony Gilroy and starring Jeremy Renner, did well at the box office but drew mixed reviews, as did Paul Greengrass's 2016 effort to revive the series.

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