It looks like Jason Bourne has found his next nemesis.  According to Variety, French actor Vincent Cassel (Black Swan) has signed on as the villain in the upcoming 5th installment in the Bourne franchise, with Matt Damon (The Martian) returning to the title role after sitting out episode 4. Plot details for the yet-untitled film are sketchy at best, but rumor has it that Cassel will portray an assassin with his sights set on Damon’s Bourne.  Series vet Julia Stiles (Silver Linings Playbook) will reprise her role as Nicky,  joined by newcomers to the franchise Tommy Lee Jones (The Horseman) and Alicia Vikander (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.).

Damon reunites with director Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips), who helmed The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, the second and third titles in the series.  Greengrass will direct from a script co-written with Christopher Rouse (Bourne Ultimatum editor).

Cassel has a long and illustrious career, but he appears infrequently in big-budget Hollywood films – one of his most recent high budget outings being 2007’s Ocean’s Thirteen. He’ll join the ranks of Clive Owen, Edgar Ramirez and Karl Urban, all of whom previously served as potentially lethal thorns in Bourne’s side.

The film is set to begin production shortly, with an eye on a July 29, 2016 release date.