Warner Bros. made a pretty surprising announcement recently, that one of the Wachowskis (but not both of them) has been working on a fourth movie in The Matrix franchise, and Keanu Reeves will be back to play Neo, with shooting set to begin early in 2020.
On the one hand, it’ll be fun to delve back into the rich fictional universe of The Matrix trilogy again. But on the other hand, in today’s moviegoing landscape, studios will reboot any franchise they have, no matter how necessary it might be. So, here are 5 reasons we’re worried about The Matrix 4 and 5 why it could be great.
Why we’re worried: It could be The Force Awakens of The Matrix franchise
Back in 2015, J.J. Abrams directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens. For all intents and purposes, it wasn’t a bad movie. In fact, critics loved it. But the story of Star Wars had already reached its natural conclusion, and The Force Awakens did nothing to advance the plot beyond rehashing the one that had already been told.
If The Matrix 4 opens up a new chapter in the story, that would be one thing, and it could be very interesting. But if it just does a Force Awakens – which is the same as doing a Terminator: Genisys or a Mary Poppins Returns or a Halloween – then it’ll probably be disappointing.
Why it could be great: Two inventive novelists are on board to help with the script
David Mitchell and Aleksander Hemon are both on board to help Lana Wachowski with scripting duties on the fourth Matrix movie. Aside from having worked with the Wachowskis on the Netflix science fiction series Sense8 (which was not a huge hit, but should’ve found a wider audience), Mitchell and Hemon are both inventive novelists who have pushed the boundaries of socially conscious storytelling with their work.
Mitchell has written two works that were shortlisted for the Booker Prize twice, including Cloud Atlas, which the Wachowskis adapted for the screen, while Hemon wrote the acclaimed and thought-provoking novel The Lazarus Project.
Why we’re worried: Only one Wachowski is involved
The entire Matrix trilogy was written and directed by the Wachowski siblings, following a vision that they conceived together as a creative team. However, the upcoming fourth installment will only be directed by Lana Wachowski, as Lilly Wachowski is too busy with her upcoming Showtime series, Work in Progress.
Lilly has also said that she’s more interested in telling straightforward sociological stories, rather than sci-fi stories with a sociological subtext. At least Warner Bros. isn’t going ahead with another Matrix movie without the approval of the franchise’s creators altogether, as was suggested a couple of years ago, but without both of them, it might not be the same.
Why it could be great: Lana Wachowski wouldn’t make a pointless sequel
Although Lilly Wachowski isn’t involved, Lana Wachowski is, and she wouldn’t be making another Matrix movie if she didn’t have a great script for it. The Wachowskis have been saying for years that they’d never want to do a fourth Matrix film.
The Matrix is and probably always will be their greatest creation, so neither of them would want to tarnish it with a pointless sequel or reboot that would just be a vain attempt to cash in on the brand name. If Lana is signed up to helm the fourth movie, then she must have a story that’s worth telling.
Why we’re worried: Every Matrix sequel so far has been disappointing
As far as belated fourth installments in movie franchises go, The Matrix 4 is closer to Jurassic World than Toy Story 4. Whereas every Toy Story movie had been fantastic until the fourth one, so there was more of a precedent to have hope in Pixar, every Jurassic Park movie had sucked since the first one, so there was little hope that a reboot, 14 years later, could suddenly recapture the magic.
The first movie in The Matrix trilogy is easily one of the greatest science fiction movies (and one of the greatest action movies) ever made. But the second and third were forgettable, confusing, disappointing sequels. It’s hard not to fear the same from the fourth one.
Why it could be great: Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are back
A couple of years ago, when a reboot of The Matrix franchise was announced to be in development at Warner Bros., they were planning to start over with a new cast and Michael B. Jordan’s name was tossed around. There is room for new cast members, and Jordan is a terrific actor, but the problem was that there was no mention of Keanu Reeves or Carrie-Anne Moss’ names.
The Matrix franchise is set in a masterfully crafted world, but the main appeal of the movies has never been the world itself – it’s the characters that inhabit it. Without Neo and Trinity, it wouldn’t really feel like The Matrix.
Why we’re worried: Warner Bros. might just be cashing in on Keanu Reeves’ comeback
Keanu Reeves has been a major movie star for years, but he’s never been as popular as he has been in the past few years. Thanks to his starring role in the John Wick franchise, as well as a supporting role in this year’s Toy Story 4, a leading role in the upcoming video game Cyberpunk 2077, and cameo appearances as himself in Netflix’s Always Be My Maybe and Between Two Ferns: The Movie, Reeves is currently a bigger star than ever.
Studios have been cashing in on this success by finally getting a third Bill & Ted movie into production. There’s a worrying chance that Warner Bros. has only greenlit The Matrix 4 to further cash in on Reeves’ comeback.
Why it could be great: The new cast members are immensely talented
Alongside Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, a few new cast members have been cast, and they’re all incredibly talented. These include: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who played Adelaide’s dad in flashbacks in Jordan Peele’s Us and the secondary villain of Black Manta in Aquaman (who wasn’t given a chance to shine in that movie, but was set up for a larger role in the sequel) and Jessica Henwick, who played Colleen Wing in three Netflix/Marvel series.
Other notable cast members include Neil Patrick Harris, who is known for playing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, but has done impressive dramatic work in films like Gone Girl.
Why we’re worried: The Matrix Revolutions ended the story
By no means was The Matrix Revolutions a great movie, but at least it wrapped up the story of The Matrix trilogy in a satisfying way. Neo had a climactic battle with the Agents, he gave his life to save the world, and the Oracle announced that the prophecy of the One had been fulfilled.
Whether or not fans were satisfied with The Matrix Revolutions, it ended the story. The Matrix 4 could be seen as a do-over, but the story has been told. Any attempt to continue it would feel forced (kind of like when J.J. Abrams introduced the First Order and their Starkiller Base).
Why it could be great: There are endless story possibilities
It’s unfair to write off The Matrix 4 before we’ve seen the movie, or seen a trailer or a poster or even has that much information about it. Lana Wachowski is writing and directing another Matrix movie – fans should be ecstatic!
The Matrix trilogy is set in a hyperreality that forces audiences to question the nature of their own existence. There are an infinite number of story possibilities to be set in that world. The first movie captured the nihilistic social consciousness of the 1990s. Now, the fourth movie has a chance to capture the technology-obsessed social consciousness of the 2010s.
