Earlier than Resurrections, Warner Bros. needed Michael B. Jordan for a Matrix reboot or prequel with out the Wachowskis, however it’s unlikely to occur now.
In 2017, a Hollywood Reporter article claimed that Warner Bros. was growing a reboot of The Matrix and was aiming to get Michael B. Jordan to star in a revival of the long-dormant franchise. Zak Penn, finest referred to as a co-writer of superhero motion pictures like The Avengers and X2, was connected to put in writing at remedy and later confirmed that he was concerned in a possible revival. Nevertheless, this Matrix reboot by no means got here out, with Lana Wachowski as an alternative returning to helm a direct sequel in The Matrix Resurrections. Whereas there was no official cancellation, it appears most unlikely we’ll ever see Jordan’s Matrix reboot.
In line with the Wachowskis, Warner Brothers had lengthy needed to make a fourth Matrix film, however the unique creators and solid had been reluctant to return, and the studio struggled to search out the fitting idea. Penn later mentioned that his film can be set in an expanded Matrix universe and star a personality who was both an ancestor or descendant of Morpheus, which might presumably have been Jordan’s position. He even teased that the revival may flip The Matrix right into a broader cinematic universe.
The most important and most blatant motive why Penn’s The Matrix reboot did not make it to display screen is the existence of The Matrix Resurrections. Within the film’s meta-textual opening act, Neo, who’s in a simulation the place he’s a online game developer, is pressured into making a sequel to his hit online game trilogy, additionally referred to as The Matrix. At one level Neo’s boss, who later seems to be a reimagined Agent Smith, means that if Neo would not do it the studio will transfer forward with out him, which is certainly what Warner Brothers was planning on doing with a fourth Matrix film. This scene not-so-subtly means that Lana Wachowski returned to the franchise partially to forestall Penn’s Matrix film from being made.
Will There Be One other Matrix Film?
The discharge of The Matrix Resurrections additionally makes it much less seemingly {that a} Michael B. Jordan Matrix, or every other Matrix film, can be popping out quickly. Resurrections had a blended response and was a industrial failure, making $157.3 million in opposition to its $190 million price range. Whereas The Matrix Resurrections‘ simultaneous launch on HBO Max, and being launched alongside box-office juggernaut Spider-Man: No Means House in all probability contributed to the disappointing theatrical whole, it would not appear as if there’s an enormous curiosity in extra Matrix motion pictures.
It is also not clear if Michael B. Jordan was ever truly thinking about showing in a Matrix sequel. The Hollywood Reporter article says that the studio has “potential curiosity” in Jordan, however nothing from the actor or his camp. Jordan additionally has so much on his plate as each a star and creator, with upcoming franchise tasks together with the Creed collection (as each actor and director) and a possible Superman challenge (as an govt producer.)
Given Hollywood’s seemingly infinite curiosity in reboots and sequels, it is actually not not possible that we’ll see extra Matrix content material sooner or later, though a HBO Max streaming unique might make extra sense than a theatrical launch. Whereas The Matrix Resurrections seemingly arrange loads of potential story instructions for a fifth Matrix film or different continuation, the Wachowskis have mentioned they don’t have any intent to return to the franchise, and stars like Keanu Reeves have expressed reluctance to return with out the unique creators. All of this makes it fairly clear that Penn’s Michael B. Jordan-starring Matrix reboot might be useless.
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