Matt Damon in talks to return to the Bourne franchise

The actor is set to reprise his role as CIA assassin Jason Bourne

Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) (Rex)

Matt Damon is reportedly planning to revive his role in the Bourne movie franchise that cemented his status as a huge Hollywood star.

The Oscar-winning actor and British film director Paul Greengrass are said to be involved in talks with Universal Pictures about an as-yet untitled Jason Bourne film, according to Deadline.

Damon appeared in The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum in 2002, 2004 and 2007 respectively. Meanwhile, Greengrass directed the latter two films. The trilogy was a huge commercial success and Ultimatum won three Academy Awards.

But the pair has previously said that they would not return to the film series, based on the thriller novels by Robert Ludlum about a CIA assassin suffering from extreme memory loss.

Damon chose not to return for the fourth instalment and his character did not appear in the film.

However, Deadline reported that both Damon and Greengrass have had a change of heart, with a film reportedly in the pipeline for summer 2016.

The studio had already announced a fifth Bourne instalment due for release on 16 July 2016. According to IMDB, Justin Lin will direct and Jeremy Renner will return as agent Aaron Cross.

But it is suggested this production may be put back in favour of a potential film featuring Damon.

Representatives would not comment on the reports, Deadline reported.

Universal also declined to comment.