The Matrix 4 will proceed without Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, leader of the resistance against the oppressive machines.

Fishburne told New York magazine it wasn't his call. "I have not been invited. Maybe that will make me write another play," Fishburne said. "I wish them well. I hope it's great."

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Fishburne said he was glad Morpheus is among the roles in his career. "It is probably the role that I'll be best remembered for, which is great; it's not the only thing I'll be remembered for, which is better," the actor said. "What I get with him is I've got Darth Vader in this hand, and I've got Obi-Wan in that hand. I've got Bruce Lee, I've got Muhammad Ali shuffled in there, and I've got kung fu … It's the old story in a modern context. It's the One, the Christ, the Buddha, the Godhead, the fully realized being told through the digital age."

Fishburne co-starred as Morpheus in 1999's The Matrix, and sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both released in 2003.

Directed by Lana Wachowski, The Matrix 4 stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick and Jonathan Groff. The film arrives in theaters April 1, 2022.

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(via Comicbook.com)