Universal dropped the project because they feared Greengrass couldn’t deliver the film in time for MLK’s next birthday, but there’s also word the estate was threatening to go public about their opposition to the film’s script. It’s a shame really as a film on Martin Luther King, Jr. is long overdue.

There’s also word that MLK’s family will be going public against their opposition to Greengrass’ script, and it was feared that would hurt the film’s performance at the box-office. But Greengrass is looking at other studios to finance the film regardless of this controversy. Hopefully, Greengrass can find another studio soon and get the film back on track for its original schedule.

Greengrass wrote the script for Memphis, and it follows “King’s life while trying to organize the city’s sanitation workers in the spring of 1968, just before his murder on April 4 of that year”.

Rudin wouldn’t reveal who that person is yet, but did mention they “like the idea” of Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Green Zone) directing the film. Although, nobody has even mentioned Greengrass’ name to Angelina Jolie, who stars in the lead role. But Greengrass is a director Sony seems is perfect for the film. “Smart, tough, political, hard-nosed…,” is what an insider said when describing Greengrass. Production is looking to begin this year for a possible release next year.

Universal did hire Tony Gilroy to write a script for The Bourne Legacy, a proposed 2012 film, but a few months ago, Paul Greengrass said he’s off any further Bourne films. If anything, this is probably just chit-chat, as it all seems rather unlikely for another sequel. A possible reboot would seem more likely right now.

Source: Collider

The Film:

One of the many stains on the Bush administration is that they engaged into a war in a search-and-find of those rumored WMDs, yet despite what we were fed on the news, as time rolled on and American causalities piled up, nobody found Saddam’s WMDs. It’s commonly regarded to as the source needed to start the war in Iraq, these mythical WMDs, and they were constantly a smoke-and-mirror for us to allow our government to do what they felt they needed to do. Saddam and his sons were people that needed to be out of governmental power, that’s for sure, but these ‘Where’s Waldo’ games on where those pesky WMDs were, tired and eventually angered the American people. Weaving facts and thrilling fiction is Green Zone, an adaptation of a non-fictional account by Washington Post journalist, Rajiv Chandrasekaran.

And no folks, this isn’t Bourne 4.

That assessment shows how popular the Bourne films are and how recognizable Paul Greengrass’s style is, but let’s end that point-of-view there. Green Zone is a political thriller that hinges itself through a myriad of facts (sometimes fictional facts) and action. Greengrass’s style of the ’shaky cam’ feels pretty natural with this material, even though I felt it was tired in Bourne Ultimatum. The opening sequence is this blitz of movement with Saddam’s top general trying to evacuate his home amongst the U.S.’s “Shock and Awe” campaign. As he escapes, the camera pans up to a large overview of Baghdad being bombarded with bombs. Against the night, the flurry of reds and oranges from the blasts paints this wonderful scene. Scenes like this, and there’s a few more, really elevate Greengrass’s style to more than the cinema verite work his Bourne films had. I know many have complaints on his camera work, as I did in Bourne Ultimatum, a film that felt cold and distant visually, but in Green Zone he’s in top form again.

Hindsight is always 20/20, and in Green Zone the script does feature a few typical liberal ideas, something even a person like myself who was critical of the past administration’s doings, can admit too. But that’s part of the entertainment of this political thriller, that mixes action with some insights. Matt Damon is as good as he has been, as an idealistic soldier that just really wants to find those WMDs. But if we had more people like his Chief Miller, maybe the Iraq Invasion, err, War wouldn’t have been such a cluster. That’s one of the film’s benefits though, these ideas and questions in hindsight should spark conversation after wards. I’m sure many might take issues with way some characters act and their actions, but semi-urgency of the film, with what we know now, aids the film, for without it, might just be another forgettable action flick.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Universal’s HD presentation is really great. The video is slightly harder to judge since Greengrass’s intentional gritty, grainy, washed out look makes it look not as good as one would assume, but the stark lighting, the colors hues used, all make for a proper transfer, a bit better than when I saw it in the theater. There’s a little too much grain for me, but again, the film has that hand-held look. Regardless, the DTS audio track is explosive. It’s very active, with bullets whizzing by in all directions, deep bass, solid dialogue reproduction, making for a stellar audio experience.

Commentary: Greengrass and Damon sit in for a chat on the making and even politics of the film, that for some, could be a turn off. Still, it offers some solid, laid back info for those inclined.

Matt Damon: Ready for Action: This short piece has Damon and the real life soldier hanging out as he is learn for his role. In HD.

Deleted Scenes: Seems more like outtakes really, but listen to the optional commentary because it’s pretty funny. Greengrass tells Damon his next film will not have any shaky cam work. The scenes themselves are okay, but wise cut from the film.

Inside Green Zone: An HD EPK featuring interviews and on-set footage; nothing to riveting.

U-Control: This offers two things: 1) you can access the commentary and watch Damon and Greengrass chat; 2) the pop-up featurettes that include making-of info and historical whatnot’s.

Conclusion: The film can be polarizing, perhaps why it wasn’t a bigger hit, but it’s still really good on another solid Universal Blu.

The Film: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Universal has been trying to put together another Bourne film for awhile, mainly because they know there’s still tons of money to be made with it. But how do they expect to milk it out with lack of Damon and director Paul Greengrass? Universal’s going to have to work their magic if they want to even think about having the two back once more, which seems even less likely after the early year bomb that is Green Zone.

The large studio recently threw out in theaters the Forgetting Sarah Marshall spinoff Get Him to the Greek, so be sure to check your local AMC or what have you for show times. They go back into kid-friendly mode this July 9th with the release of the animated feature Despicable Me.

Since there’s no more Fantastic Voyage for Greengrass to uncover, he’s still eyeing some booty as reports start to swirl that the director is in talks to take on Warner Bros Pictures’ Treasure Island. The latest version of this popular tale is expected to be an updated sort, within the same vein as last year’s Sherlock Holmes. That appears to be a huge trend going on since other projects like Paul W.S. Anderson’s The Three Musketeers are suddenly going on the fast track for a 2011 release. With the kind of bank that Sherlock Holmes made last year, who could blame them.

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem writer Shane Salerno is already attached to pen the script with James Cameron latching onto the feature as producer. The picture is already planned to be shot in 3D with no release date at the moment.

And no folks, this isn’t Bourne 4.

That assessment shows how popular the Bourne films are and how recognizable Paul Greengrass’s style is, but let’s end that point-of-view there. Green Zone is a political thriller that hinges itself through a myriad of facts (sometimes fictional facts) and action. Greengrass’s style of the ‘shaky cam’ feels pretty natural with this material, even though I felt it was tired in Bourne Ultimatum. The opening sequence is this blitz of movement with Saddam’s top general trying to evacuate his home amongst the U.S.’s “Shock and Awe” campaign. As he escapes, the camera pans up to a large overview of Baghdad being bombarded with bombs. Against the night, the flurry of reds and oranges from the blasts paints this wonderful scene. Scenes like this, and there’s a few more, really elevate Greengrass’s style to more than the cinema verite work his Bourne films had. I know many have complaints on his camera work, as I did in Bourne Ultimatum, a film that felt cold and distant visually, but in Green Zone he’s in top form again.

Hindsight is always 20/20, and in Green Zone the script does feature a few typical liberal ideas, something even a person like myself who was critical of the past administration’s doings, can admit too. But that’s part of the entertainment of this political thriller, that mixes action with some insights. Matt Damon is as good as he has been, as an idealistic soldier that just really wants to find those WMDs. But if we had more people like his Chief Miller, maybe the Iraq Invasion, err, War wouldn’t have been such a cluster. That’s one of the film’s benefits though, these ideas and questions in hindsight should spark conversation after wards. I’m sure many might take issues with way some characters act and their actions, but semi-urgency of the film, with what we know now, aids the film, for without it, might just be another forgettable action flick.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The first of those is the Paul Greengrass directed feature Green Zone, only being able to wrangle up $14.5 Million this weekend. The totals keep on getting lower as the heavily advertised She’s Out of My League brings in $9.6 Million with the Summit Entertainment film Remember Me only having $8.3 Million total. Last but not least is Our Family Wedding, making $7.6 Million on it’s first weekend. Check out the rest of the top ten below from Box Office Mojo.:

Weekend Box Office (March 12-14)

1. Alice in Wonderland  ($62 M)
2. Green Zone  ($14.5 M)
3. She’s Out of My League  ($9.6 M)
4. Remember Me  ($8.3 M)
5. Shutter Island  ($8.1 M)
6. Our Family Wedding  ($7.6 M)
7. Avatar  ($6.6 M)
8. Brooklyn’s Finest  ($4.2 M)
9. Cop Out  ($4.2 M)
10. The Crazies  ($3.6 M)

Were going into the middle of the month, and with that comes even more films. Among those on the list are Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Bounty Hunter, Repo Men and Hubble 3D on IMAX screens only. Those stuck in the limited releases are The Runaways (opening wide on April 9th), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Killing Jar and Vincere. Greenberg comes out in New York and Los Angeles this weekend but will be released wide on March 26th.

Damon stars as Cheif Warrant Officer Roy Miller who’s team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction believed to be stockpiled in the Iraqi desert. Rocketing from one booby-trapped and treacherous site to the next, the men search for deadly chemical agents but stumble instead upon an elaborate cover-up that inverts the purpose of their mission.

Spun by operatives with intersecting agendas, Miller must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil for answers that will either clear a rogue regime or escalate a war in an unstable region. And at this blistering time and in this combustible place, he will find the most elusive weapon of all is the truth.

Green Zone comes out in theaters everywhere on March 12th. Check out the huge slew of pictures below, and if your interested in more stuff from the film, become an fan on the official Green Zone Facebook page.:

‘I have moved on,’ he told me. ’I finished [Green Zone] in July, had the summer off, and I came back and thought I could find a way to get engaged and make [a fourth Bourne film], [but] I thought in my head there were so many other things and films I wanted to make.

I didn’t feel like I had anything else to contribute. It just happens with franchises; you get to a point where you feel like you’ve done it.

‘They need to find someone else to come in to take it in a new direction I wouldn’t have thought of and it will be better.

Now with this new twist on the Bourne series, and the fact that actor Matt Damon has clearly told reporters that he would only come back for another Bourne movie only if Greengrass is on board, what is to be of the series? Will it just fade away, or will Universal Pictures try to find another way to bring Damon back in and still have a new director?

The Flick:

The Bourne Identity cemented itself into my list of favorite spy flicks, and its sequel The Bourne Supremacy earned itself a spot on that list as well. Supremacy takes the action up a notch, elevating the tension level to new heights.

This time around Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) and Marie (Franka Potente) are laying low when Bourne is framed for murder and Marie is murdered. Bourne takes Marie’s murder personally and sets out to exact revenge on those responsible. Director Paul Greengrass’ visual style worked wonders on this flick. The hyperactive camera moves combined with an amazing script were a match made in super-awesome spy film heaven.

The fight sequences are beautiful, and the huge car chase is phenomenal. If all action flicks were made this well other genres would surely suffer. It’s not often a series comes along and changes the game, but the Bourne series raises the bar for all spy thrillers. I really can’t say enough about this movie. It delivers on all levels without alienating any audience.

If you don’t already own this flick, the do yourself a favor and pick it up ASAP. The Bourne Supremacy is absolutely a killer film.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video

The audio pumped out of my speakers and burned a permanent soundtrack into my soul. The sound was crisp and clear and was a perfect fit for my home theatre system. The video was stellar as well, offering up a beautiful subdued color palette that was crisp and clear. This is the type of flick that blu-ray was made for!

Special Features

Commentary: I enjoyed Greengrass’ track. It offered up just the right amount of technical know how along with his take on the franchise.

Matching Identities: A short feature that delves into the Jason Bourne character as well as some other cast members.

Blowing Things Up: Another short feature that focuses on the things in the flick that go bang. I would have enjoyed this more if it was explored a little deeper. It felt like it was over before it actually began.

Keeping it Real: The cast and crew talk about Greengrass’ approach as a director and his handling of the material.

Bourne to Be Wild: Yet another feature that I wish was a little longer. This one delves into the films fight choreography.

Besides these scenes there are a handful of other short features such as, Crash Cam, which takes a look at the films chase sequence, Bourne Mastermind, that looks at writer Robert Ludlum’s books, U-Control blu-ray features that allow the viewer to access awesome blu-ray only content, and the prerequisite DVD copy is here as well.

The Flick: Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars