After a bidding war for the film rights to author Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne franchise, Universal Pictures will retain the rights "in perpetuity," per Deadline. That doesn't include the rights to the novels, though Universal has stated plans to expand the venerable action film series into an entire "universe" - a growing media trend.
The film rights to the Jason Bourne franchise lapsed earlier this year, according to the trade, with the Ludlum estate taking them back. This led to a bidding war in which Universal won the rights back. Universal also won the film rights for Treadstone, another book series spun-off from the Bourne franchise, which was previously adapted into a short-lived TV show on the USA Network.
