The Bourne movies in order
Four films in a straight line, and one that takes place during the third.
Updated 4 August 2026 · 5 titles tracked
Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum — one continuous story, and one of the great action trilogies. Then it gets slightly odd.
The Bourne Legacy is not a sequel. It is a sidequel, following a different agent in a different programme while the events of Ultimatum happen in the background.
Every Bourne film in order
Release order. Legacy runs concurrently with Ultimatum rather than after it.
- 1The Bourne Identity2002 · The Jason Bourne Films · Essential
- 2The Bourne Supremacy2004 · The Jason Bourne Films · Essential
- 3The Bourne Ultimatum2007 · The Jason Bourne Films · Essential
- 4Jason Bourne2016 · The Jason Bourne Films
- 5The Bourne Legacy2012 · The Sidequel
Where Legacy actually goes
Legacy takes place during The Bourne Ultimatum. News of Bourne's actions drives the plot — the CIA starts burning its other programmes because of what he is doing, which is what puts Aaron Cross on the run.
Watch it directly after Ultimatum and the overlap is obvious and satisfying. Watch it much later and the connective tissue is lost, which is a large part of why the film underperformed with audiences who expected a sequel.
The trilogy is the thing
The first three films are one story and should be watched together. Ultimatum in particular begins before Supremacy has finished — its opening overlaps that film's final act.
Supremacy and Ultimatum are where the series' style crystallises, and both are considerably better than the imitators that followed.
Is Jason Bourne worth it?
The 2016 film brings Damon and Greengrass back nine years later and is comfortably the weakest of the five. Nothing in the trilogy requires it. Watch it if you want more; skip it without guilt.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Bourne movies?
The Bourne Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum, then The Bourne Legacy, then Jason Bourne. Legacy takes place during Ultimatum, so watch it directly afterwards.
Is The Bourne Legacy a sequel?
No, it is a sidequel. It follows a different agent and runs concurrently with The Bourne Ultimatum, with Bourne's actions driving its plot from off-screen.
Do I need to watch The Bourne Legacy?
No. It is self-contained and Jason Bourne barely acknowledges it.