Tony Gilroy, writer of the first three Bourne films and director of Duplicity and Michael Clayton, is writing and directing the Bourne spin-off "Bourne Legacy." Empire Magazine reports that he is currently taking meetings with several actors to replace Matt Damon.
Yes, Bourne Legacy will NOT star Matt Damon. Specific reasons can only be speculated but there haven’t been any reports that would suggest a negative separation. I think Damon and Paul Greengrass (Director of Bourne 1-3) are just ready to move on. Continuing with Bourne Legacy, so far (according to Deadline) there is a long list of actors pursuing this role: Jake Gyllenhaal, Joel Edgerton, Josh Hartnett, Tobey Maguire, Paul Dano, Micheal Pitt, Oscar Isaac, Garrett Hedlund, Micheal Fassbender, Luke Evans, Alex Pettyfer, Taylor Kitsch and Benjamin Walker. This is a ridiculous list; half of these candidates are absurd and the other half are already attached to many other projects. For example, Tobey Maguire...his mere consideration is an insult to the franchise or even pretty boys like Alex Pettyfer (I am Number Four) or Taylor Kitsch (Wolverine: X-men Origins) don’t come remotely close to the likes of a potential successor. But on the other side of things better actors such as Micheal Fassbender, Paul Dano and Jake Gyllenhaal are already attached to many other films and (in my opinion) just don't seem to fit either.
Out of this odd assortment of actors personally, I think Garrett Hedlund (Tron, Four Brothers) or Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom) would be good choices. Both would take the film in different dirrections but they share similar attributes in their versatility, intensity and rising careers. Garrett Hedlund, I know is somewhat of a strange choice but his roles in “Death Sentence” and “Four Brothers” showcase his adaptability, and capable honesty and grit. But despite my opinion, I think it’s safe to say that Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Hartnett are forerunners.
