17 years ago, we were left with an incredible conclusion to The Matrix Revolutions (spoilers ahead, so read on at your own risk). We assumed, though, that the ending to this powerful trilogy was really the end. After three movies of man vs. machine, there was finally peace. Humans would be able to leave the Matrix, hooray! Unfortunately, this came at the cost of our two main characters – Trinity died in a hovercraft crash, and Neo sacrificed himself in an effort to destroy Agent Smith. A bittersweet conclusion, but one that left us with a sense of closure – that is, until the announcement of The Matrix 4.
The original release date for the next film in The Matrix series was supposed to be May 21, 2021, but due to delays in filming caused by COVID, the planned release date has been moved to April 1, 2022. Despite the nearly two years until its premiere, there is a lot of buzz surrounding this long-awaited and unexpected continuation of The Matrix series. You may be thinking, “I don’t even want to see this movie if none of my favorite characters are in it.” Here’s the good news – if you die in The Matrix (movie), there are about a million different ways the talented writers can bring you back.
Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Lambert Wilson will all be returning for the next installment of The Matrix, but there’s no word yet about the plot itself. Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Neil Patrick Harris will also be joining the cast, hopefully with Neil Patrick Harris’s Dr. Horrible as the movie’s supervillain. I mean, weirder things have happened this year than a Matrix musical.
Sadly, the iconic Morpheus played by Laurence Fishburne won’t be reprising his role. “I have not been invited. Maybe that will make me write another play. I wish them well. I hope it’s great,” Fishburne told The Wrap. “It is probably the role that I’ll be best remembered for, which is great; it’s not the only thing I’ll be remembered for, which is better. What I get with him is I’ve got Darth Vader in this hand, and I’ve got Obi-Wan in that hand. I’ve got Bruce Lee, I’ve got Muhammad Ali shuffled in there, and I’ve got kung fu.”
You will be missed but not forgotten, Morpheus. That is, unless Morpheus isn’t actually gone. A stunt like this is exactly the type of twist we’ve come to expect from The Matrix series, but we will, unfortunately, have to wait until 2022 to find out for sure. There is speculation that Fishburne won’t be returning because his character died in “The Matrix Online,” a MORPG that is somewhat of a continuation to the movie’s storyline, but even if that was the case, the people over at The Matrix studios clearly don’t have a problem with bringing characters back from the dead.
Recently, film industry sweetheart Keanu Reeves talked to Associated Press about filming in the midst of a pandemic. Though the situation isn’t ideal, Reeves takes a lot of pride in his team and their commitment to both the production and the safety of everyone involved. He explained, “Everyone loves the project and if you’re ever going to get in a situation that needs to be figured out, show business people are the best. We’re scrappy, we know how to get stuff done, we’re inventive, we think on our feet. It’s a great honor and I’m grateful to be working.”
We’re also grateful that you’re working – now more than ever, it’s important to have something to look forward to.
