Principal Photography Begins on "The Bourne Supremacy"

Universal Pictures has announced the start of principal photography on the espionage thriller "The Bourne Supremacy," the second installment of best-selling author Robert Ludlum's "Bourne" series with Matt Damon returning as trained assassin Jason Bourne. Damon heads an impressive cast that includes Oscar-nominee Joan Allen ("The Contender"), Brian Cox ("X2"), Julia Stiles ("Mona Lisa Smile"), Karl Urban ("The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers") and Franka Potente ("The Bourne Identity"). The film is produced by Frank Marshall ("Seabiscuit," "Signs," "The Bourne Identity"), Pat Crowley ("Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "The Bourne Identity") and Paul L. Sandberg ("Picking Up the Pieces") and is directed by Paul Greengrass (writer/director of "Bloody Sunday") from a screenplay by Tony Gilroy ("The Bourne Identity"), based on Ludlum's book.

"The Bourne Supremacy" re-enters the shadowy world of expert assassin Bourne (Damon), who continues to find himself plagued by splintered nightmares from his former life. The stakes are now even higher for the agent as he coolly maneuvers through the dangerous waters of international espionage-replete with CIA plots, turncoat agents and ever-shifting covert alliances-all the while hoping to find the truth behind his haunted memories and answers to his own fragmented past.

Compelling use of exotic worldwide locations and the muscular cinematic edge brought by vanguard director Greengrass maintain the aggressive style and fresh, non-traditional perspective established in "The Bourne Identity." "The Bourne Supremacy" is the latest entry in a refreshingly new breed of that time-honored genre, the espionage thriller.

Joining Greengrass is a talented production team behind the camera, including director of photography Oliver Wood ("The Bourne Identity," "U-571"), production designer Dominic Watkins ("Bad Boys II"), costume designer Dinah Collin ("Bloody Sunday"), editor Christopher Rouse ("The Italian Job") and special effects supervisor Kit West (the upcoming "Around the World in 80 Days").

"The Bourne Supremacy," which is shooting on location in Germany, Russia and India, is scheduled for release by Universal Pictures in 2004.