The Bourne Legacy has been surging on streaming for the past week. Directed by Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote the script with his brother Dan Gilroy as an expansion of Robert Ludlum’s novels, the 2012 action thriller introduces Jeremy Renner as a genetically enhanced black ops operative who goes on the run after Jason Bourne’s action expose the agency that he works for.
Led by Renner, The Bourne Legacy‘s cast also includes Oscar winner Rachel Weisz, four-time Oscar nominee Edward Norton, Emmy nominee Stacy Keach, Emmy nominee Oscar Isaac, three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen, five-time Oscar nominee Albert Finney, Oscar nominee David Strathairn, Emmy nominee Scott Glenn (The White Lotus season 3), Michael Chernus, and Corey Stoll.
Now, 13 years after its release, The Bourne Legacy ranks second on Prime Video’s Top 10 movies in the United States for today, September 18, where it has been for the past nine days. It ranks below A Working Man, and above The Bourne Idenтιтy, Black Bag, Novocaine, Last Breath, The Map That Leads to You, The Boss Baby, Hitman: Agent 47, and Rumor Has It…
What The Bourne Legacy’s Streaming Success Means For The Movie
After the original Bourne trilogy starring Matt Damon, the actor opted not to return because original director Paul Greengrᴀss was not involved, leading to his replacement by Jeremy Renner. This partly led to the mixed reception for The Bourne Legacy, as the reboot was never going to live up to the original trilogy, which literally changed the action genre.
Though it may not match the impact of the original trilogy, The Bourne Legacy reviews praised the film for showing that the franchise still has more stories to explore, boosted by Jeremy Renner’s captivating performance in the lead role. However, the film earned a franchise-worst 56% Rotten Tomatoes score at the time, and failed to break even at the box office.
Our Take On The Bourne Legacy’s Streaming Success
Ever since his near-fatal snowplow accident in early 2023, it seems that audiences have been revisiting Jeremy Renner’s movies on streaming. The fact that he not only survived but has returned to acting is nothing short of miraculous. This renewed attention has seemingly inspired audiences to revisit his filmography, with The Bourne Legacy being one of the prime beneficiaries.
It also seems that the Bourne franchise itself is simply having a moment on streaming, as The Bourne Idenтιтy also ranks third on Prime Video’s Top 10 movies. Though The Bourne Legacy received a mixed reception in 2012, the combination of Jeremy Renner and the Bourne franchise is enough for a bona fide streaming hit today.
