The long-gestating ‘The Matrix 4’ now has a release date of May 21, 2021. With ‘Akira’ on pause due to production issues and director Taika Waititi’s commitment to Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder,’ this slot was wide open.
Franchise stars Keanu Reeves (‘John Wick’) and Carrie-Anne Moss (‘Jessica Jones’) will be reprising their lead roles as Neo and Trinity, respectively. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (‘Aquaman’) is onboard, and might be playing a young Morpheus or a descendant of the character, like a son or nephew. Laurence Fishburne (‘Black-ish’) played the role in all three ‘Matrix’ movies.
Neil Patrick Harris (‘How I Met Your Mother’) has an unknown role, that is rumored to be a villain. Jada Pinkett Smith (‘Girls Trip’) will return as Niobe. Jessica Henwick (‘Iron Fist’) has an undisclosed lead role. Jonathan Groff (‘Frozen’) has an unrevealed role. Toby Onwumere (‘Sense8’) has a role that is under wraps.
Meanwhile, Wachowski (‘The Matrix’ trilogy, Cloud Atlas’) serves as writer, director, and producer on the fourth ‘Matrix’ film, currently without a title. Wachowski co-wrote the script with fellow ‘Sense8’ writers Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell.
Writer/director Lilly Wachowski won’t be returning with her sister for this sequel, however. In an interview with /Film she said, “Well, I’m a little busy at the moment,” due to her new Showtime series ‘Work in Progress.’
The crew, so far, comprises of:
- Cinematographer John Toll (‘‘Cloud Atlas,’ ‘Sense8’)
- Costume designer Lindsey Pugh (‘Sense8,’ ‘Krypton’)
- Production designers Hugh Bateup and Peter Walpole (‘Sense8’)
- Visual effects supervisor Dan Glass (‘The Matrix Reloaded,’ ‘The Matrix Revolutions’)
Further, filming will begin on February 10, 2020 in Chicago. The film’s working title is ‘Project Ice Cream’ and we at The GWW reported it back in June.
As fate would have it, the Warner Bros. film will go up against another Keanu Reeves film: Lionsgate’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’