In April 2024, it was revealed that The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale filmmaker Drew Goddard had been tapped to write and direct a new Matrix movie for Warner Bros.
Rumours of a reboot or spin-off have persisted for years, and while we still don't know which category this one will fall into, fans hope it might serve as a return to form for the sci-fi franchise.
The Matrix was released in 1999 to widespread acclaim, with The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions following in 2003. They didn't receive as warm a response as the original, and Lana returned to the property (minus Lilly) in 2021 for The Matrix Resurrections.
The movie struggled to strike a chord with fans and was widely considered a disappointment, grossing $160 million against a reported $190 million budget. In fairness, it was released during the pandemic and premiered on HBO Max the same day it arrived in theaters.
The Matrix remains a valuable IP to Warner Bros., and the potential is there for a back-to-basics movie that restores it to its former glory.
Talking to Variety for Project Hail Mary, Goddard was asked what his take on The Matrix 5 will be. The filmmaker replied, "I can’t say too much, because we’re still in the stage of writing it. I need to give myself space to find the best story. I think the approach will be the way I approach anything, which is, do I love it?"
"And I love what Lana and Lilly Wachowski did with those movies. They mean so much to me and I feel like they’ve had a profound impact on my creative voice," he continued. "I take this responsibility very seriously. I feel the weight of wanting to do right by the fans, wanting to do right by the creators and wanting to do right for myself as a fan."
Pushed on whether Keanu Reeves and the original cast will return, Goddard said, "I can’t speak to that," and was pushed on why he thinks 2021's The Matrix Resurrections didn't strike a chord with fans.
"I don’t know. It certainly resonated with me. When I watched the movie, I was deeply moved," he noted. "It may be the most emotional of the of the four. I know it got caught up in the COVID times, and it was when Warner Bros. was putting everything on streaming."
Last summer, rumours swirled that, after past rumblings of a reboot starring Michael B. Jordan, the plan was to bring Keanu Reeves back into the fold. Fans aren't exactly crying out for a reboot, so continuing the story with a familiar lead and new approach might be what's needed to help make the franchise relevant again.
When we last saw Neo, he and Trinity were reshaping The Matrix together. That could make him a God-like being in Goddard's apparent follow-up.
Stay tuned for updates on The Matrix as we have them.