Darren a proven qualified actor like Damon is a marquee value especially when dealing with a franchise that the public identifies him with. Thanks to the economy people aren’t rushing to the theater to watch anything. How well would True Grit be doing if Bridges and Damon weren’t attached. These are actors that people trust to give great performances. The Box office is down due to the economy and the fact that there are so many other entertainment options in our day and age. Here’s a case in point even a badly reviewed Julia Roberts movie will still make money and be a hit just based on her name alone. Cruise was quaranteed box office before he went nuts on Oprah. Arnold was not even a good actor but people flocked to his movies based on his charisma alone. Although we don’t have any marquee actors left it’s all the more reason to treat remaining marquee actors like Damon with a little respect.

Where woud the studio be without the actor? Who knows.
They won’t unless they get another actor.

Actors are not top marquee value as they were ten years ago.
I don’t want Damon replaced, but that does not mean he can’t be replaced.
It’s clear Universal does not want to- but they can move on without him. They can just as easily write the character inm recast. Damon is just an actor; they don’t report to him,

Also, since Tony Gilroy directed the first film and Damon “didn’y know” whay does that tell you?

If they do something that doesn’t require Bourne then that’s different. It still might be a hard sell regarding the public but it could work as a stand alone thriller giving us insight into the Treadstone project.

I think what he means by “just an actor” is that he wasn’t an executive producer or director or anything other than the actor.

It does seem like the Bourne movies are attempting to expand the franchise outside of Jason Bourne’s story and get into a bigger Treadstone story anyways, so if they don’t need Bourne they dont need Damon.