The writer and director of the new Bourne film, The Bourne Legacy, insists you do not have to be a die hard fan to enjoy it.

The action thriller, starring Rachel Weisz and Jeremy Renner, is the fourth installment in the Bourne franchise, and the first not to feature Matt Damon.

"What we're saying is that the previous three films were a small part of something much larger and we're showing you what the much larger is this time," said Tony Gilroy at the New York premiere.

"Hopefully, you can see the film without knowing anything about the previous three, but if you know anything about the previous three films...hopefully it preserves and enriches what you've seen before," the director added.

"There's a lot there for people who are super freaks, fans who are deep fans of the franchise."

The Bourne Legacy is released across the UK on Monday 13 August.