The Matrix Resurrections star Keanu Reeves revealed why he returned to the iconic sci-fi franchise nearly two decades after the release of the original trilogy.
"We had filmmakers who you wanted to say yes to," Reeves told EW when asked why he agreed to reprise his role as Neo for the fourth installment of the series. "[We had] material that you wanted to commit to, to give everything that you could to."
Reeves, who’s seen a career resurgence in recent years thanks to the John Wick franchise, certainly has many options when it comes to choosing projects. Marvel Studios President/Marvel Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige previously revealed that Marvel has approached Reeves "for almost every film we make." The actor just recently shared he’d be "honored" to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, adding, "There are some really amazing directors and visionaries, and they're doing something no one's really ever done. It's special in that sense, in terms of the scale, the ambition, the production. It would be cool to be a part of that."
The original Matrix debuted in 1999, spawning two sequels and redefining the sci-fi genre. Unlike the original trilogy, which was co-directed by the Wachowski siblings, Resurrections is directed solely by Lana Wachowski. Co-creator Lilly Wachowski recently explained why she didn’t return for the series’ fourth film, citing family issues, filmmaking exhaustion and her gender transition. Lana instead co-wrote Resurrections with David Mitchell, with whom she previously collaborated on the 2015 sci-fi epic Cloud Atlas, as well as Aleksandar Hemon, who worked on the Wachowskis' Netflix series Sense8.
Few plot details have been revealed about the fourth film, but Mitchell recently explained that Resurrections isn't a conventional sequel. "It's a very beautiful and weird creation," he said. "It also achieves a couple of things that we do not see in action films, meaning it subverts the rules of blockbusters."
Resurrections will see the return of both Neo and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) following their deaths in 2003’s Revolutions, but it's unclear exactly how they've been reborn. The fourth film will also introduce a younger iteration of Morpheus, now played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II instead of Laurence Fishburne, who originated the role.
As for the future of the franchise, Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff recently stated that The Matrix 5 is a possibility so long as Wachowski is on board. "Anytime Lana wants to make a movie, we're all in," said Sarnoff.
The Matrix Resurrections debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22.
Source: EW