After Neo (Keanu Reeves) sacrificed himself to defeat Agent Smith and save Zion in The Matrix: Revolutions (2003), most audiences agreed that this was likely the definitive end for the franchise. Any other related projects that Warner Bros. announced were likely to be prequels or reboots. Yet, out of the blue, on a scorching day in August 2019, this studio made an equally hot announcement: Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss would return in The Matrix 4, reprising their roles that have become synonymous with their names – Neo and Trinity.
For Keanu personally, his return to the Matrix universe after nearly two decades was due to a single reason: the script written by director/writer Lana Wachowski was so excellent that he could not, and did not want to, refuse. Speaking to Empire magazine, the star stated: “Lana Wachowski has written a beautiful script, containing a wonderful story that resonates with me. That is the only thing that brought me back to The Matrix. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with this talented director again. The script for the upcoming film has a very special significance in today’s modern world, and we can draw many lessons for ourselves from it.”
However, after the initial excitement, many fans expressed concerns about this project as it raised too many puzzling questions. The most important of which is how they will explain Neo’s resurrection and what his role is in the fourth installment when Zion is already safe. The final scene of The Matrix: Revolutions hinted that Neo could return in some form, especially now that digital technology has advanced tremendously and is an indispensable part of human life.
Additionally, the concept of resurrecting characters, changing and connecting them can also be considered Lana Wachowski’s “signature move” over the past decade, having appeared in titles like Cloud Atlas and Sense8. Neo himself had once “resurrected” in The Matrix 1, when he was trapped inside the Matrix and killed by Agent Smith, only to return moments later. However, there have also been theories suggesting that Keanu might play a different character in the upcoming film.
Of course, some will argue that this is just a marketing gimmick from The Matrix team to promote the fourth film. And no actor would be foolish enough to “throw stones” at the project they are involved in. However, if these statements come directly from Keanu Reeves, fans can rest assured.
At the E3 event in 2019, Keanu attended as a guest of CD Projekt RED and affirmed that he is always attracted to great storylines. This is also why he agreed to participate in Cyberpunk 2077 – one of the most anticipated blockbuster games of the year. Compared to nearly 20 years ago, when he was the star of The Matrix, Keanu’s reputation has soared to new heights thanks to the phenomenal success of John Wick and many other major projects. He now has more options in his career, and if a script is not compelling enough, Keanu can easily decline participation, even if it is The Matrix 4.
Currently, The Matrix 4 is temporarily halted due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Before that, the film had managed to shoot some action scenes in San Francisco, including a spectacular car explosion scene, as they did not want to rely heavily on computer-generated effects. Initially, the film was set to be released on May 21, 2021. However, depending on the progress of the pandemic and the production process, Warner Bros. may have to postpone the release date, similar to many other blockbuster films.
According to ScreenRant