Nearly 30 years after declining the role of Neo in the original Matrix movie, Will Smith may finally be making his first appearance in the Matrix franchise. Smith recently posted a cryptic, Matrix-inspired video to Instagram teasing a potential role for the Oscar-winning actor in the franchise’s fifth installment currently in development at Warner Bros.
There Isn’t Much Known About The Matrix 5 Yet
There is stilllittle known about Matrix 5outside of Drew Goddard, known for The Cabin in the Woods,signing on as head writer and director after impressing executives to earn the green light. It is still up in the air whether this latest Matrix installment will even follow the original plot line headlined by Keanu Reeves' Neo or will take a spin-off approach like the animated filmThe Animatrixwith a whole new cast of characters.
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The fresh prince of Rainbow Road.
On one hand, it would be almost poetic to see Goddard take the Matrix franchise in a new direction alongside a brand-new cast of characters. Then factor inWill Smith signing on to play the next “Neo-esque” character for the franchiseafter choosing to be a part of Wild Wild West instead of playing the original Neo. Wild Wild West holds a lousy 16 percent critic score and 28 percent fan scoreon Rotten Tomatoescompared to the sheer cultural impact of The Matrix and the franchise as a whole.
In a world of blockbuster film franchises trying to capitalize on creating their own universes for their mediums, it will be intriguing to see if Goddard and Warner Bros will lean into that concept with the future of the Matrix franchise. There are a multitude of animated shorts outside of The Animatrix left to explore if there is enough of a market for an even further expanded Matrix universe, almost three decades after fans were first introduced to the simulation.
The Door Could Be Open For Keanu Reeves To Return As Neo
There is still no word if the original Neo,Keanu Reeves, would be interested in another returnafterThe Matrix Resurrectionsin 2021 brought him back to solid acclaim from the fanbase. Regardless if we’ll see Reeves by his side or not, Will Smith could seriously boost the hype behind Matrix 5 as it moves further along its development track. For now, fans will have to continue theory crafting with no news on a completed script, shooting schedule, or release date out just yet.
The Matrix
