Kellan Lutz and Garrett Hedlund Among Candidates For ‘The Bourne Legacy’

Writer-director Tony Gilroy has been in town this week meeting with several actors to play the new lead character in "The Bourne Legacy," which is not Jason Bourne but a new assassin with a similar background. The list of thesps includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, and Kellan Lutz, sources close to the process tell Variety. Universal would not comment or confirm on these actors or these meetings.

Insiders add Gilroy has an idea of what kind of actor he wants for the role but that Universal have also brought their picks to the table as well.

Insiders stress that no front-runner has emerged. Lesser-known actors could become a factor because Gilroy wants to screen-test all candidates -- which may be a stumbling block for some established thesps.

No other casting decisions are likely to be made until the lead is set, giving the search for the lead some urgency if production is to begin in the spring as planned.

"Bourne Identity," 2004's "The Bourne Supremacy" and 2007's "The Bourne Ultimatum" grossed almost a billion dollars combined at the worldwide B.O. Pics, based on Robert Ludlum novels, revolved around a trained assassin with amnesia who tries to uncover his identity while evading other killers and government agents.

Gilroy wrote all three films; Doug Liman directed the first installment, while Paul Greengrass helmed the latter two.

Universal is targeting an August 2012 release for "Bourne Legacy."

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