Edward Norton is currently in negotiations to play the villain in the upcoming ‘Bourne Legacy,’ the Huffington Post is reporting. Not much information has been revealed about the role yet. But Norton’s talks with the producers comes after they interviewed numerous actors to replace Matt Damon in the reboot, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch and Tobey Magure, before the role ultimately went to Jeremy Renner.
Norton has become known for appearing in darker roles, including his Academy Award-nominated film debut as a troubled youth in ‘Primal Fear.’ He later played a tormented pessimist in ‘Fight Club’ and a detective in the Hannibal Lecter film ‘Red Dragon.’ He also appeared as a reformed white supremacist in ‘American History X.’
The news of Norton’s possible casting in ‘The Bourne Legacy’ comes after Marvel decided not to bring him back to reprise his role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the upcoming ‘Avengers’ film. The studio released a statement saying “Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.” Norton’s camp disagreed with Marvel’s decision, but didn’t press the issue any further.
Written by: Karen Benardello
