While there has been much excitement over the return of The Matrix in recent months, one aspect of new film Resurrections has been causing concern among fans: the absence of Laurence Fishburne.
The acclaimed actor was one of the key reasons for the success of the first film, giving an electric performance as Neo’s mentor and ally Morpheus, so it seems odd that he wouldn’t be invited back for this revival.
It’s particularly perplexing given that co-stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss did make the guest list, despite their characters being thought dead at the end of 2003’s Revolutions (here’s how Neo and Trinity came back).
Fishburne has seemingly been replaced by rising star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who has generated plenty of buzz lately with his performances in Watchmen and Candyman, but nevertheless has some big shoes to fill here.
Read on for all the details on whether Laurence Fishburne has a cameo in The Matrix Resurrections, as well as who exactly Abdul-Mateen II plays in the film. Spoiler alert!
Does Laurence Fishburne cameo in The Matrix Resurrections?
Let’s get this out of the way to start off. No, Laurence Fishburne does not have a cameo in The Matrix Resurrections – at least, not via any brand new scenes.
As glimpsed in the trailer, Lana Wachowski integrates clips from the first Matrix movie into the world of her sequel, so there is some archive footage featuring the original Morpheus, but not any new material.
The closest we get to a cameo comes shortly after Neo’s arrival to the “real world” city formerly known as Zion (now Io), where we see a stone statue of Morpheus has been erected, modelled from Fishburne’s appearance.
Jada Pinkett Smith’s Niobe explains that he had been elected High Chair after the war ended, but fell from grace after he did not treat reports of a new threat to humanity with enough severity.
It’s never explicitly stated whether Morpheus is dead, but given the statue, the fact that 60 years have passed in the real world, and the events of The Matrix Online – which die-hard fans still consider canon – we’d bet that he probably is.
Who is Yahya Abdul Mateen II playing in The Matrix Resurrections?
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In an interview with British GQ last month, Abdul Mateen II cryptically teased that he was playing a character “called Morpheus”, but not necessarily the man himself – and that’s a fairly accurate description of what’s really going on.
It is revealed that this younger Morpheus is actually a digital intelligence that was subconsciously coded by Neo during his time trapped in The Matrix (where he lived as civilian Thomas Anderson).
For quite some time, this artificial Morpheus was trapped inside a modal – a simulation used to advance programming – in which his only function was to hunt down “sentients”.
However, he had an epiphany during one loop when he was shown the code to the Matrix, which revealed to him what he had really been designed to do.
“For the first time I felt real purpose; who I was and what I had to do,” he tells Bugs (Jessica Henwick) in an early scene. “I am Morpheus and I have to find Neo.”
One explanation for why Morpheus looks different now is that this version of the character is from The Matrix video game designed by Thomas Anderson (aka Neo) while he was living in the actual Matrix (yes, it’s all very meta).
By utilising advanced technology created by the humans of Io in collaboration with rebellious machines, the Morpheus digital intelligence is able to interact with the physical world to a certain extent.
The Matrix Resurrections is out in cinemas now. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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