Prepare to return to the Matrix.
The Matrix Resurrections might have been a commercial failure, but Warner Bros is officially betting on another Matrix film.
That’s right, folks: the studio has announced that a fifth Matrix movie is in the works.
The upcoming instalment will be the first in the franchise without the directing duo, Lana and Lilly Wachowski, though Lana is still expected to executive produce the movie.
Instead, Drew Goddard – the director of Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale – will lead the project, as well as penning the script alongside Sarah Esberg under their banner, Goddard Textiles.
Official plot details are yet to be revealed, but in a statement about the movie’s announcement, Warner Bros president of production Jesse Ehrman said: “Drew came to Warner Bros with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the Matrix world, by both honouring what Lana and Lilly began over 25 years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters.”
He continued: “The entire team at Warner Bros Discovery is thrilled for Drew to be making this new Matrix film, adding his vision to the cinematic canon the Wachowskis spent a quarter of a century building here at the studio.”
Goddard said on taking on the role as the director: “It is not hyperbole to say The Matrix films changed both cinema and my life. Lana and Lilly’s exquisite artistry inspires me on a daily basis, and I am beyond grateful for the chance to tell stories in their world.”
The Matrix franchise kicked off in 1990. The most recent instalment, The Matrix Resurrections, was released in 2021, but failed to live up to its predecessors.
Can The Matrix return to its former glory with the fifth instalment? Only time will tell. In the meantime, read on for everything we know so far about The Matrix 5.
The Matrix 5 release date speculation
There’s no release date as yet but, according to Variety, the film is already in development at Warner Bros.
The most recent entry in the franchise, 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections, received poor to mixed reviews, with RadioTimes.com calling it “a treatise against franchise filmmaking“.
The film was also a commercial flop, amassing a franchise-low of $157.3 million across cinemas worldwide which failed to make up for its $190 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
Who could appear in The Matrix 5 cast?
With specific plot details remaining under wraps, it’s unclear which characters could return from the Matrix universe for the film.
There’s no word on whether Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, who have played Neo and Trinity respectfully throughout the franchise, will appear.
Newer additions, such as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas could also potentially appear, but we’ll have to wait for official confirmation on this.
Behind the camera, Drew Goddard is directing, while Lana Wachowski will serve as executive producer.
Goddard began his career in television, penning episodes for popular series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Lost and Alias.
He then moved to the big screen, writing Cloverfield and World War Z.
His directorial debut came in 2012 with The Cabin in the Woods, which he also wrote. He went on to pen and direct the 2018 movie Bad Times at the El Royale.
He is probably best known for creating Netflix’s Daredevil series, as well as executive producing the Marvel crossover series, The Defenders.
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Is there a trailer for The Matrix 5?
Not yet, but watch this space!
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