The Matrix star Laurence Fishburne recently shared his thoughts on The Matrix Resurrections, revealing the fourth film in the franchise fell short of his expectations.

Fishburne, who portrayed Morpheus in the first three Matrix movies, shared his candid appraisal of The Matrix Resurrections during a red carpet interview with Variety. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be," he said. "But I thought Carrie-Anne [Moss] and Keanu [Reeves] really did their thing [as protagonists Trinity and Neo]. Yeah, that's what I thought." Fishburne added that he didn't have any regrets about not being invited to reprise the Morpheus role in The Matrix Resurrections, either.

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays a different version of Morpheus in the fourth Matrix movie: a computer program that combines traits of Fishburne's character with those of Hugo Weaving's Agent Smith. While many fans were surprised that director and franchise co-creator Lana Wachowski didn't bring Fishburne back for the sequel, The Matrix Resurrections co-writer Aleksandar Hemon later confirmed that rebooting the Morpheus character was always the plan. Hemon went on to say that there was never any talk of recasting Reeves and Moss as well, since the story hinged on them playing Neo and Trinity once more.

What's Next for the Matrix Franchise?

Fishburne wasn't alone in expressing disappointment with The Matrix Resurrections. The sequel proved polarizing with moviegoers, leaving audiences divided on whether aspects such as its metatextual narrative and less intricately choreographed fight scenes made for a satisfying follow-up film. The Matrix Resurrections also bombed at the box office, which analysts have attributed to a variety of factors, including Warner Bros.'s decision to premiere the film in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. There are currently no plans for any additional entries in the Matrix franchise, although producer James McTeigue previously indicated that this wasn't tied to the fourth movie's commercial failure.

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There is a dance-based Matrix adaptation on the way in October 2023, however. Trainspotting director Danny Boyle is on board to helm the licensed stage production, which is titled Free Your Mind. Other key personnel includes Michael "Mikey J" Asante (composer), Kenrick "H2O" Sandy (choreographer), Sabrina Mahfouz (playwright) and Es Devlin (artist/sculptor). The official Free Your Mind synopsis confirms that the production boasts hundreds of dancers performing hip-hop choreography and is apparently based on the first installment in the franchise.

The Matrix Resurrections is currently streaming on HBO Max.

Source: Variety