‘Andor’s Tony Gilroy Revived Another Elite Franchise That Needs To Be Rediscovered 14 Years Later

The current era of Star Wars has been divisive among critics and audiences, and that’s putting it kindly. However, everyone seems to agree that the Disney+ series, Andor, is the undisputed crowning achievement in the franchise’s streaming era. A remarkable accomplishment in television writing and directing while also reminding everyone why they fell in love with Star Wars without resorting to cheap nostalgia bait, Andor has underlined the brilliance of its showrunner, Tony Gilroy.

Gilroy, the writer of the original Bourne trilogy starring Matt Damon, was promoted to director of the Bourne franchise’s newest installment when Paul Greengrass stepped aside, amounting to the unfairly maligned fourth installment in 2012, The Bourne Legacy. This saw Jeremy Renner taking over the franchise as a new character in the wake of Damon’s titular role. As a story about negligence and irresponsible government operations, The Bourne Legacy is worthy of another look in 2026 and serves as protoype to what the legacy sequel should be.

Tony Gilroy Put a Much-Needed Spin on the Bourne Franchise

Coming off two Oscar nominations and his casting as Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, studios were putting all their chips on Jeremy Renner, who was allegedly positioned to take over the Mission: Impossible series with his debut in Ghost Protocol (a rumor that he has since denied). This occurred a year before he appeared as Aaron Cross, an Operation Outcome agent on the run after actions by former CIA assassin Bourne expose grave government secrets, in the revamped Bourne saga. The passing of the baton failed to coalesce at Universal Studios, as four years later, Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass returned for one last ride in the forgotten fifth installment, Jason Bourne.

Jason Bourne‘s existence reflects an attempt on Universal’s part to erase The Bourne Legacy from our collective memory. While it grossed an impressive $276 million worldwide, the film left critics and audiences feeling cold. Rather than try to mimic Greengrass’ gritty action and pulp sensibilities (notably by toning down the shaky-cam), Gilroy wanted to pull back the curtain and examine the text of the movies he had previously written for the screen. Taking a more grounded and sobering approach, Legacy confronts the messy aftershocks caused by Bourne’s actions and how it compromises aspiring agents like Cross. As a result, the film is surprisingly light on live-wire kinetic sequences, adding further frustration to the fact that many viewers found its story incomprehensible.

‘The Bourne Legacy’ Is Proof That Tony Gilroy’s Direction Is What the Action Franchise Needed

After three movies with a similar formula, albeit a highly effective one that helped revolutionize action cinema in the 2000s, it was time for either a reset or a resting period for Bourne. If there’s anyone who knows how to spice up a pre-existing franchise, it’s Tony Gilroy, who first brought an unprecedented amount of gravitas to Star Wars as the writer of Rogue One, which was parlayed into the miraculous creation that is Andor. Gilroy, whose directorial debut was the beloved modern take on the legal thriller, Michael Clayton, takes a more analytical approach to Bourne with his installment, with much of Legacy focusing on what goes on behind closed doors in the top-secret government. Gilroy’s bold take is far more cynical than the combined efforts of Greengrass and Identity director Doug Liman. By sanding down the spectacle, Bourne Legacy treats secret, nefarious government ops as banal — and in many cases, egregiously woeful — in their duties.

While the entire Bourne saga could carry itself as a prestige action franchise due to its storied cast and below-the-line crew members, Legacy features arguably the most impressive cast yet, even without Damon at the center. Sharing billing on the poster with Renner are Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Albert Finney, and Joan Allen, who each give it their all in this film that serves more as an acting showcase than an action spectacle. Renner, who taps into his unique blend of toughness and vulnerability, is perfectly in stride with Gilroy’s dissection of an idyllic military operative manipulated by the system.

Cross, who was rigorously enhanced by the government, undergoes an identity and morality crisis. This makes him less of a badass assassin than Bourne was, but more truthful about our own understanding of the futility of individuality within powerful organizations. The Bourne Legacy‘s 56% Rotten Tomatoes score is simply uncalled-for, even if the film subverted the franchise’s expectations upon release. 14 years later, Tony Gilroy’s incredible success with Andor proved that he was an expert at imbuing established stories with a darker, more cerebral edge.