Well, this is an interesting development for Alicia Vikander’s career. Back during the Cannes Film Festival, Alicia was having movie deals and scripts thrown in her direction. Over the course of a week, it felt like we were hearing about Alicia being “in talks” to star with her lover Michael Fassbender in Assassin’s Creed, then maybe working on Tom Hanks’ new movie, and maybe the love interest in the new Jason Bourne film. Well… it looks like Hollywood’s It Girl couldn’t do everything, so she had to make some hard choices. And her choice was… Matt Damon over Fassbender. I know! Matty D over Fassy Bender. Crazy. (True, CB would make the same call every single day and twice on Sundays.)

Alicia Vikander has now been set to star in the next instalment of the Jason Bourne saga opposite Matt Damon, Deadline can confirm. She will not, however, be starring in Justin Kurzel’s Assassins Creed pic opposite Michael Fassbender.

The Swedish star, currently the equivalent of a cinematic supernova following a starmaking turn in Alex Garland’s sleeper hit Ex Machina, could not get her schedule to accommodate both projects. Deadline also understands she is unlikely to circle back to The Circle as things currently stand. That project, with Image Nation Abu Dhabi fully financing and presenting the film in association with Parkes Macdonald Productions, was one of the hot sellers at this year’s Cannes market for IM Global. Based on a Dave Eggers novel and written and directed by James Ponsoldt, The Circle has Tom Hanks attached to star and produce alongside Gary Goetzman through their shingle Playtone and Anthony Bregman’s Likely Story.

Vikander’s star should continue to rise, as she has Warner Bros’ The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl for Working Title, the Weinstein Co’s Tulip Fever, John Wells’ Adam Jones with Bradley Cooper and Jamie Dornan and Derek Cianfrance’s The Light Between Oceans opposite Michael Fassbender all wrapped and in the pipelines.

[From Deadline]

I’m enjoying the list of films she’s got coming out this year. Remember, Alicia is planning on attending the 2016 Oscars to support three of those films. By my estimations, she’ll probably be invited to present and Eddie Redmayne will probably be nominated for The Danish Girl, but beyond that… no, she’s not going to have the big awards-crazy year that she thinks she will.

As for the Bourne film… I think that’s the safe choice. Meaning it’s probably the best for her career at this particular moment. She’s an indie darling, and It Girl, but she’s not a household name. The Bourne franchise is tried-and-true and people will be thrilled to see Matt Damon return to a celebrated and popular role. If I was in Alicia’s position, I’d probably choose the Bourne franchise over the “unknown” of Fassy’s long-gestating Assassin’s Creed project too. Plus, Matty D is The Sex as Jason Bourne – shhh, don’t tell CB I said that.

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