5 Franchise Lessons to Help Bourne Make it Without Matt Damon

Tony Gilroy, who wrote the first three Jason Bourne films, will direct the fourth one, currently entitled The Bourne Legacy. Matt Damon has gone on the record saying that he wouldn't return for a fourth Bourne movie (or fifth, if you count Green Zone) without ex-Bourne director Paul Greengrass. And while Damon's stance has softened somewhat of late, the conventional wisdom around Hollywood is that the Bourne franchise won't reboot if faced with the challenge of recasting the title role. Risky for Universal? Sure. But there is precedent for this -- with shaken, not stirred, results.

1. James Bond

Well, yeah, of course. Counting only the United Artists movie series only (sorry Never Say Never Again and original Casino Royale), there have been six men who have played James Bond. But the trick of replacing the lead actor has also been done six times: After You Only Live Twice, Sean Connery left the series and was replaced by George Lazenby for On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Lazenby left the series (good career move!) and was replaced by a much less fit Sean Connery in Diamonds are Forever. Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan all followed until Daniel Craig inherited 007 in 2006's Casino Royale. Perhaps Bourne can follow the same mold? What is George Lazenby doing these days, anyway?

2. The Bandit

I was very excited for my parents to take me to see Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 at the movie theater. And even though I was really young (which I guess explains the excitement), even I could tell that the guy driving the Trans-Am wasn't Burt Reynolds. My parents, sensing a tantrum, assured me that it was and I should just sit still. Then, at the end of the movie, as Jerry Reed's Bandit speaks to Buford T. Justice, he morphs into the actual Burt Reynolds. "See," I yelled. To make it up to me my parents then took me to see Reynolds's Stroker Ace which was still in theaters. I still haven't forgiven them for that.

3. Jack Ryan

One of the few upgrades on this list. Alec Baldwin was fine as Ryan in The Hunt For Red October (and, yes, I know there are more than a few who prefer Baldwin as Ryan) but Ford wasn't too far removed from the good Indiana Jones movies at that point, and it's always fun to watch him in an action film. Later, after Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, the horrible Ben Affleck replaced Ford as Ryan. (Note: Not to be confused with the Ben Affleck that we all love today.)

4. The Mannequin

Sure, it's technically a different character. But was the character of Ema Hesire that freaking important that the producers of Mannequin Two: On the Move couldn't just use the same name? Sure, it's "Jesse" in the sequel, played by Kristy Swanson instead of Kim Cattrall. Whatever. Nineteen years later I still have no idea why this movie exists.

5. Superman

Remember, Bryan Singer's Superman wasn't a reboot -- which, looking back, was probably a mistake. Remember the rules Singer wanted us to follow: The original 1979 Superman and its first sequel happened, but the one with Richard Pryor and the other one with Jon Cryer never happened. Except for Superman's speech at the U.N., I prefer the idea of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace being forever erased from my mind (I hate admitting this, but there's a special place in my heart for Superman III), but I just can't do it. It's there. It always will be. And think of poor Mark Pillow; we all just know that his house is, to this day, covered with Nuclear Man paraphernalia. Then mean old Bryan Singer shows up and tries to selectively erase his character from ever happening. Singer should have just started completely over like Nolan and Snyder are doing now.

Who else?