In 2021, the most famous sci-fi franchise of them all will be returning for a fourth round. Yep, Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and more will be back alongside director Lana Wachowski for a fourth film in the legendary Matrix series.
In a statement announcing the new film Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman Toby Emmerich said: “We could not be more excited to be re-entering ‘The Matrix’ with Lana. Lana is a true visionary – a singular and original creative filmmaker – and we are thrilled that she is writing, directing and producing this new chapter in ‘The Matrix’ universe.”
So, strap in and get ready to enter the Matrix once again – from cast members to a release date, plot, trailers and more, here’s everything we know so far about The Matrix Resurrections.
Latest update:
- A new teaser trailer exploring a déjà vu glitch in the Matrix was released on December 1
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has confirmed he’s playing Morpheus
- The first full trailer was released on September 9
- The Matrix Resurrections is released in cinemas on December 22. It will also be available to watch on HBO Max in the US from the same day.
- The film’s title, The Matrix Resurrections, was released along with a full-length trailer as part of Warner Bros’ CinemaCon Reel
- Lilly Wachowski, best known for her directing work on the original Matrix trilogy, has opened up about why she hasn’t returned as director for the latest sequel
Keanu Reeves is returning as Neo in ‘The Matrix 4’. Credit: Getty
The Matrix 4 release date: when will it be released?
Announced back in December 2019, The Matrix 4 was initially set for release on May 20, 2021, the same day as Keanu Reeves’ other new film, John Wick 4.
However, production was halted on The Matrix 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The release was then pushed back to April 2022.
The film was preparing to shoot in Berlin since the start of March, after filming in Germany and San Francisco. Warner Bros. then paused the production indefinitely, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Matrix Resurrections is released in cinemas on December 22. It will also be available to watch on HBO Max in the US from the same day.
The Matrix 4 trailer: is there a teaser yet?
A new teaser trailer was released on December 1. The clip begins with Keanu Reeves’ character Neo noticing a black cat, referencing the déjà vu glitch first explored in the hotel ambush scene in the first Matrixfilm. “Déjà vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix,” Carrie-Ann Moss’ Trinity explains. You can check out the teaser below.
A full trailer was released on September 9, showing Neo visiting a therapist played by Neil Patrick Harris, and Trinity working inside a coffee shop – before the red pill shenanigans get back underway. You can check out the trailer below.
A teaser trailer for the film was released on September 6. If you go to the official website, you can choose the red or blue pill to get your first look at footage from the movie.
Depending on the pill you choose and the time you visit the site, you get different footage from the trailer. According to Entertainment Weekly, there are more than 180,000 video variations.
The Matrix 4 cast: who is in the new movie?
Keanu Reeves will return in the starring role as Neo, with Carrie-Anne Moss once again playing Trinity. They link up with original Matrix director Lana Wachowski.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman, Watchmen) has confirmed he’s playing Morpheus in the fourth entry, posting a picture on Instagram armed with guns and shades.
Another name that’s been revealed for the Matrix 4 cast is How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris. The actor’s specific role is being kept under wraps, but is said to be “significant”.
Iron Fist and Game Of Thrones actor Jessica Henwick also stars in a leading role, though there are no specifics yet available.
iZombie actor Andrew Caldwell was also recently confirmed to join franchise newcomers Priyanka Chopra and Mindhunter star Jonathan Groff in the film.
Another name confirmed is Jada Pinkett Smith, who would return for the role of Niobe, who she played in The Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions.
One actor is confirmed to not be returning for the sequel, though. Hugo Weaving, who portrayed Agent Smith in the first three films, recently announced that he will not be featuring since the filming clashed with his starring role in the theatre production of The Visit.
Has filming begun for The Matrix 4?
It has indeed. Eagle-eyed fans in San Francisco’s Chinatown have shared footage on social media of Reeves on set for the film.
Upon the release of the footage, fans have pointed out that Reeves’ character, Neo, has made some notable changes to his clothing choices as he wore a more casual green jacket, jeans and beanie hat.
Online users have already speculated that Neo’s unusually ordinary attire could mean that he has ended up being plugged back into the Matrix.
🎥The Matrix 4 filming in San Francisco! – Feb 5 2020
Thanks to @rodrigoleandro (IG Story) 🙏https://t.co/W6UyEcSM8w#thematrix4 #matrix4 #KeanuReeves #SanFrancisco pic.twitter.com/FObYUXNxoI— Keanu Planet (@keanuplanet) February 5, 2020
Production on the film was originally reported to be starting in Chicago in February of 2020, but there is clearly already activity in San Francisco first. The film is supposedly working under the title Project Ice Cream, as San Francisco-based newspaper SFGATE point out.
They write: “The San Francisco Film Commission confirmed to SFGATE a major film with the working title Project Ice Cream is scheduled to shoot in San Francisco in February, around the same time production is due to begin on The Matrix 4.”
Of course, now that production has shut down due to COVID-19, no news will be forthcoming for a while at least.
Plot details: what might happen in The Matrix 4?
Lana Wachowski and her cast are keeping very tight-lipped about any plot details for the forthcoming film.
“Many of the ideas [sister] Lilly [Wachowski] and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now,” Lana said in a statement accompanying the film’s confirmation. “I’m very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends.”
Wachowski is working on the screenplay for the film alongside authors Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell.
One who has seen the script is Abdul-Mateen, who told Entertainment Weekly: “I’m very excited to do it. A great team and I think there’s going to be a lot of… it’s a very exciting relevant script that I’m honoured to be a part of.”
What might The Matrix 4 look like?
Speaking in an interview with SiriusXM, Neil Patrick Harris discussed Lana Wachowski and the director’s vision for the movie.
“I have great hope that fans will appreciate all the work that Lana and everyone is putting into this movie,” he said. “I’m a big Lana Wachowski fan; I think she’s a great person; I think she has a great inclusive energy.”
He added: “And her style has shifted visually from what she had done, to what she is currently doing. It’s changed in an evolved way, and she’s such a bright light.”