Jeremy Renner covers Empire Mag as ‘The Bourne Legacy’ release is pushed back

Jeremy Renner appears on the cover of the new issue of Empire Magazine. I believe he’s “in character” as the spy/assassin from The Bourne Legacy, which comes out in about a month and a half. It was supposed to come out on August 3rd, but Universal (the studio that owns the Bourne franchise) decided to push back the release for one more week to give The Dark Knight Rises time to simmer down. TDKR comes out on July 20th…they’re giving Batman three weeks all to himself. Some interpreted the move as a sign of weakness on Universal’s part, but I think it’s just smart – and I think there’s room enough for a Bourne film AND a Batman film. Mostly because I really want to see both of them. Anyway, here are some highlights from Jeremy’s Empire interview, including a cute story about Matt Damon:

Renner on meeting Matt Damon/Jason Bourne: “I was at the Academy Awards for The Hurt Locker and Matt Damon was sat in front of me. He, funnily enough, had just seen The Town, because he and Ben Affleck are best buds. I hadn’t even seen it then. So he saw the movie and he was like, ‘Dude! Dude! I saw the movie and it’s so great and you’re awesome!’ So it was a f***ing funny introduction, just being at the Academy Awards and having Matt Damon in front of you telling you you’re awesome.”

Renner on feeling “lucky”: “I’m the luckiest guy alive. I get to be a part of really good movies. To me, every time you get a massive-budget movie I’ll shy away from it because there are usually too many cooks in the kitchen. I stumbled across some really great pieces of cinema. I got really lucky. If we get to do another one of these, right on.”

He’s cool if he’s not called back to do a sequel to The Avengers, Mission: Impossible or Bourne: “If Tom [Cruise] wants me for another Mission, I’m happy to do it… If Avengers 2 happens, awesome. If it doesn’t, awesome,” he explained. “I’m not going to worry about what comes next. I’ll just worry about talking to you right now. I could be dead by the time Avengers 2 comes around. Who knows? I don’t want to be, but you know what I’m saying.”

Playing “the new Bourne,” Aaron Cross: “He’s coming from a completely different background to Jason [Bourne]. He knows exactly who he is; he signed up to this…He wants to be part of a team. I can tell you he was in the military then he joined the program. He’s a person who wants to be part of something…to have a sense of purpose. But then it’s taken away.”

[Via The Sun, Empire and Film News]

I think Avengers 2 is totally going to happen. I don’t know if there will be another Mission: Impossible though. The last one – with Jeremy and Tom – made a lot of money, but I’m not sure how long Tom can continue to believably do that role. I saw MI Ghost Protocol, and while I didn’t hate it, I didn’t think it was a strong sequel to the MI franchise. It feels like the franchise is pretty dead, actually. As for the Bourne franchise – well, it’s one of my favorite franchises, so I do hope this one does well for Jeremy, and I hope that he gets to do more.

Photos courtesy of Empire.

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58 Responses to “Jeremy Renner covers Empire Mag as ‘The Bourne Legacy’ release is pushed back”

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  1. lisa2 says:

    I think he is a good actor. But man I get so sick of his pissy expressions on covers. Same with Daniel C. I know he is suppose to look tough but it is a turn off to me.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      I know!!! First thing I thought was “Why does my little man looks so pissed?” How am I supposed to fantasize to that image? He looks like he wants to punch me.
      LAME.

      • ZenB!tch says:

        If you are all into 50 Shades of Grey yes? Punching brings out your Inner Goddess’ dance of dorky joy.*

        I like the cover pic. I would tie him up in a second.

        *I officially feel bad for genuine female submissives everywhere thanks to that book.

    • EmmaStoneWannabe says:

      Yeah that constantly-pained little face grates on my nerves. It’s like, you’re not Clint Eastwood..try a new look.

      • Blen says:

        ^^ This. He mean mugs in all his photos. not cute.

      • Ally says:

        Ugh. How is this guy meant to be headlining any movie, let alone the Bourne series? I will not be bothering. Looks and charisma in lead actors, Hollywood, look into it!

        Daniel Craig used to be handsome (Sylvia), but now he and Jeremy Renner should do a Hobbit/LOTR spinoff called The Orcs, and that’s about it,

    • crepe says:

      Renner looks like an irritated shrew. Not action hero material at all. Bleagh!

  2. Helen says:

    What they did to his face is shameful. The little pocket rocket doesn’t even look like himself, what kind of f**kery is this?!

    On a different note, yeah, I wish him all the best. I’m rootin for him and The Bourne Legacy – and I want more photos of those ridiculously gorgeous arms of his!!! *squeal*

    • Amelia says:

      ^^Took the words right out of my mouth^^
      But I saw the words ‘Bourne’ and ‘pushed back’ and almost had an aneurysm – thank God it’s only by a week, I wasn’t prepared to wait much longer for the return of the pocket rocket!!

    • Chicagogurl17 says:

      Yes!

  3. FuryFreakBrother says:

    I hope Jeremy will be in Avengers 2 and hopefully his role will be bigger (maybe less of Scarlett next time, as she is never interesting or good, and is VERY annoying in interviews) I rather have that happen than him doing another movie with that weirdo Tom Cruise.
    Jeremy is really talented and hopefully he gets lot of cool offers for interesting movies. Love the guy!

  4. Ella says:

    Looking at those pix, I just feel jealous that I will never be a studly action movie star! How much fun would it be??

  5. Tiffany27 says:

    Idgaf about the face. I would hit it like he stole something.

  6. Chris: now with 10% less negativity says:

    At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious Matt Damon was way better and is a much more riveting actor than Renner. Does anyone know why Damon dropped out of the Bourne series?

    • Susan says:

      Damon wanted the same director to continue with the series. Once the director decided to move on, so did Matt.

      Great moniker btw. Glad it’s only 10% less!

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      Damon made the right decision. Yeah I know he personalized something that should have been seen as a professional matter but I give him props for not putting money before friendship.
      @ Chris-Love Damon but Renner is riveting as fk all so I don’t know what you’re talking about.

    • Mia 4S says:

      Agree to disagree…strongly disagree on who is the more riveting actor. Damon is a very good actor, but I don’t think I would describe him as riveting? As Ripley maybe, and he was fun as Bourne. The key with Renner is he catches your attention is smaller roles. I only saw the first Bourne in theaters, the rest were rentals, but this spin off? So there! Renner is just delicious.

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        @Mia-have you seen Dahmer? Renner was MESMERIZING. He won me over in that movie (even though the film overall was pretty ‘meh’) because it takes balls to play a monster like Dahmer and Renner was downright CREEPY as hell in that film.

      • Chris: now with 10% less negativity says:

        I’ll give Dahmer a go but you guys should watch Damon in The Departed (again?) he was amazing. I watched it again a couple of months ago for the first time since its cinema run and I was blown away by his performance. Ever since then I’ve been going through a big Matt Damon phase.

    • Emma - the JP Lover says:

      @Chris, who wrote: “Does anyone know why Damon dropped out of the Bourne series?”

      By the end of 2008 both Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass were on board to do a 4th “Bourne” film, which was scheduled for release in 2010. But it wasn’t “The Bourne Legacy,” which was written by Eric Von Lustbader, not Robert Ludlum. Universal tried to get the rights to the Jason Bourne character so they could write ‘original’ scripts and extend the franchise like the James Bond franchise.

      But relatives in charge of the Robert Ludlum Estate refused. They offered instead to allow Universal the pick of any earlier Ludlum novel as a Jason Bourne vehicle. Universal chose a novel, but neither Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass (who were offered script approval as one of the incentives used to lure them back for a 4th film) liked the script.

      George Nolfi (writer/director of “The Adjustment Bureau”–based on a short story by Phillip K. Dick–and one of three writers credited with writing “The Bourne Ultimatum”) was called in to re-write the script. However, before he’d had a chance to complete it, Paul Greengrass announced that he’d lost interest and was moving on to other projects. Matt Damon, who indeed said that he’d only work with Paul Greengrass at the helm of a 4th “Bourne” film, did the same.

      In all fairness to both men, they ‘did’ block time in their schedules (nearly one and a half years) to film “Bourne” 4 … Universal just didn’t produce a workable script in time. George Nolfi has said that he ‘did’ complete a “Bourne” script based on an early Ludlum novel and delivered it to Universal Studios, but even he has moved on to other projects.

      I loved “The Adjustment Bureau” (what an incredible love story!), so I’d be game to see any “Bourne” script Nolfi penned. And Matt Damon ‘has’ said that he is not opposed to doing a 4th Jason Bourne film sometime in the future. So who knows?

      If “The Bourne Legacy” is a successful film it will keep interest alive in future Jason Bourne films, right? 🙂

    • ZenB!tch says:

      I was never interested in the Bourne movies with Damon. Damon never spoke “action and adventure” to me. I can’t even sit through one on TV. I have no issues with him. I’ve seen several of his other films and likely will again but not in Bourne.

      I will be seeing this one. I think Jeremy is kind of hot even though he is not my usual type (tall and straight) and this movie has Rachel Weisz who is one of my favorite actresses.

      As for Damon – would you want to do the same character 4 times? I don’t think he’s hurting like Tom Cruise.

  7. duchessofhazard says:

    I could be dead by the time Avengers 2 comes around. Who knows? I don’t want to be, but you know what I’m saying.”

    *sighs*

    If only. I just didn’t get his Clint at all – not even the Ultimates Clint they were going for.

  8. Ming says:

    The Bourne franchise causes me to get mental tinnitus.

    This whole government, conspiracy agent pooperella extraordinary James-Bond-on-ritalin stuff ain’t my taste.

    But Jeremy Renner is awesome.

    • ZenB!tch says:

      Is that why I could never sit through one – yet I plan to see this one.

      Pray for me ! 😉

  9. serena says:

    He totally must be in Avengers 2!!! I needs to be there, seriously!

  10. Bite me aka aniston says:

    So uhm Jeremy u gay?Tom cruise might be an angry little troll but I least he keeps me entertain

  11. Mettel Ray says:

    Actually, as I understood, MI will continue without Tom and Renner’s Ghost Protocol’s character will take over – just like he is doing in Bourne.

    • ZenB!tch says:

      That is what I thought as well. I am also hoping they are less ridiculous as the others. I never saw 3 but I was dragged to 2 and that had to be the most ridiculous one I have ever seen.

      I did like 4 (also dragged) but it was because Renner kept my attention. I don’t like war movies so I hadn’t seen the Hurt Locker and had no clue who he was but I was like “Oh who’s the guy?”

      I didn’t quite make it through Hurt Locker because I REALLY do not like war films but Jeremy was good in it. It was the location – so much beige. UGH!

  12. Mel says:

    Love this guy. He seems so intense yet immensely likeable at the same time.

  13. GoodCapon says:

    2nd photo – Whoa! Photoshopped much?

    I’ve only watched the first two Bourne films, but I’m definitely going to see this!

  14. eric says:

    He was great in “28 months later” but don’t think Bourne films are for him, I actually fell asleep watching “Ghost Protocol”.

  15. LittleDeadGirl says:

    I like his interviews and I may be the only one but I find him really sexy in those pictures.

    The decision to push it back was smart. No movie was gonna compete with Batman.

    • The Original Mia says:

      It was a smart move. This way everyone gets a piece of the summer movie pie. Dark Knight Rises fans can see the movie 2-3 times before Bourne Legacy comes out.

  16. Ponytail says:

    Damn it, that top picture is probably from the subscriber’s edition only, isn’t it ? I know I should have maintained my sub to Empire instead of just picking it up every month. The shelf pic just isn’t the same…

  17. Unbeweavable says:

    Ah I love Jeremy. I first noticed him in SWAT and fell in love. He’s such a good actor, he can play any role. Then when The Town came out with him AND Jon Hamm- oh I couldn’t contain myself. I feel bad for Mr Unbeweabable. He has to hear me go on and on about these men I will never meet or go crazy on…

  18. The Original Mia says:

    Yay! Bourne publicity! Arm porn! They know what the ladies like. He’ll be in Avengers 2. Fir 12 minutes if work, he made an impact on the fans. They want more of him. I do too! I want to do naughty things to him.

  19. ZigZagZoey says:

    Wow, so much love for JR here. Well, none from me. Sorry, I don’t find anything attractive about him at all. And he does always look pissed, which does not help. And I do think he is gay, not that there is anything wrong with that. He seems kinda arrogant too, but I’ve not seen interviews so I could be wrong.

    • ZenB!tch says:

      I think he’s oddly hot – like Tom Hardy – not hot hot but weird hot.

      HOWEVER…. I do have a problem with him being gay and what grown man lives with his male “business partner”.

      My problem is how adamantly he denied it when it’s kind of obvious – the business partner thing again.

      If he is not gay and lives with a man (this scenario in no way works for me unless someone is poor) he needs to lose the roommate. I don’t think a “business partner” is poor.

  20. EmmaStoneWannabe says:

    I may be the only one here, but I do not find him attractive or sexy in the least (and I saw The Town). He just strikes me as a try-hard at this bad boy persona. Also, Im bitter they didnt bring back Damon..so that could be part of it.

    • Emma - the JP Lover says:

      @EmmaStoneWannabe …

      Well Emma, if it makes you feel any better, they couldn’t have brought Matt Damon back, at least not as Jason Bourne, because the Ludlum Estate wouldn’t allow it.

      P.S. I think Jeremy Renner tries too hard to look ‘bad’ too, and it ‘is’ a bit of a turn off. 🙁

  21. ramona says:

    WOAH.

    Oh my God. When did Jeremy Renner get so hot?? I’ve never had this reaction to his photos before… ye gods!! Give him my number and tell him to bring that rope!

  22. Madhubala says:

    I love him. He can do no wrong in my eyes. I know everyone thinks the Bourne franchise is sunk without Matt Damon but I actually believe he’ll live to regret being so pissy about the whole thing and biting the hand that feeds him. The Bourne Legacy looks great.

  23. ssa says:

    That rope picture is crazy hot. I’ve never seen any of the Bourne movies but I’m definitely watching this one for him.

  24. dj says:

    The rope pc! Right! There is something dirty sexy hot about Renner. He is a charismatic actor too.

  25. Jane says:

    Matt has never been ‘pissy’ about acting in more Bourne films. He never committed up-front for more films (unlike Renner who signed for three), the script was never right, and Paul Greengrass did not commit. Matt doesn’t want to let the series down and make more films just for cash.

    And Tony Gilroy has trashed the series many times in the past but now comes back for a paycheck. He turned in a very poor script for Ultimatum (which Matt criticised), and other writers had to fix Gilroy’s shoddy work.

    • Madhubala says:

      Right. Good old Saint Matt.

    • Emma - the JP Lover says:

      Actually Jane, Paul Greengrass ‘did’ commit to a “Bourne” 4. But both his and Damon’s involvement in the project was contingent upon the quality of the script, which was to be based upon an earlier Robert Ludlum novel. They got tired of waiting for a quality script and they both walked.

  26. Gina says:

    I have it on very good authority this man is gay, gay so gay. Not that I care but, as far as hot, yes for a gay dude. This is from someone who worked with him, intimately. He supposed to be super nice, but gay. Sigh.

  27. Karen says:

    @Gina……..unless you’re willing to name the person who said he was gay, then don’t bother. There are just as many people on message boards who say he isn’t. Name the person saying it or forget it. Haters can post anything on message boards just to cause a stir. He has stated he isn’t gay. That should be good enough for everyone. Look up Jes Macallan, the girl Jeremy dated and lived with, for almost 5 years and broke up with alittle over a year ago.