Matt Damon will not be returning for fifth Bourne film

There have been rumours that the actor would be appearing in the new film

Matt Damon says he will only star in another Bourne film if it is directed by Paul Greengrass (Getty Images)

Matt Damon will not be reprising his role as Jason Bourne in the forthcoming fifth instalment of the spy thriller franchise.

Producer Frank Marshall told The Hollywood Reporter that the rumours were “simply not true,” ending any speculation of a possible return.

He added “[Director] Justin Lin is working with Andrew Baldwin on an Aaron Cross script/story that they pitched us a few months ago. I talk to Justin all the time and the script is not ready.”

Earlier this week film studio Universal Pictures announced that it was pushing back the release date of the fifth Bourne movie from August 2015 to July 2016.

Damon starred as Jason Bourne in the first three films before Jeremy Renner took over the reins in 2012’s The Bourne Legacy as Aaron Cross.

The actor has said that he would only return to the franchise if Paul Greengrass, who filmed the second and third Bourne adventures, was in the director's chair.

However, the British director told American entertainment site Deadline.com in December last year, “I discovered in my heart I didn’t have another one in me. I would be going through the motions and I could never do that.”

Greengrass went on to say, “The best thing was to move on, have someone else come in and make their mark on it.”