Jason Bourne director details status of super spy after 9 years away

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After a nine-year hiatus from the big screen, fans have a burning question for Jason Bourne: Where the heck has the guy been?

“He’s been in the shadows of Europe,” teases returning director Paul Greengrass.

Though Greengrass is reluctant to share additional details — it seems 30 years in Hollywood has taught the director a learned a thing or two about keeping secrets well, secret — one thing’s for sure. By the looks of leading man Matt Damon, it’s obvious that Bourne hasn’t been chowing down on cheeseburgers and guzzling beer in balmy Capri.

“He’s been active and he’s been doing hard physical work,” says Greengrass of the undercover agent, who returns in this summer’s Jason Bourne. “Definitely not sunning himself on the beach.”

In fact, Damon’s dedication in building up the bulk needed to play Bourne was a deciding factor in Greengrass’ decision to return to the spy franchise.

“You don’t make a movie unless you’re 1000 percent committed to make the best movie we can, and you don’t make this kind of movie unless you think it can be a worthy successor to the other movies we made,” Greengrass explains. “That phenomenal Jason Bourne shape was a segment of intent.”

Even so, Greengrass was taken by surprise when Damon showed up for the first day of filming — for lack of a better word — totally ripped.

“It gave all of us the most immense shock, because you think ‘Oh my god. This is weird. This is Jason Bourne, and he’s back,” shares Greengrass. “That’s sort of exciting.”