Long before The Matrix 4 was officially announced as a continuation of the original trilogy, speculation had been making the rounds that the project was going to be a reboot that focused on a younger version of Morpheus, with Michael B. Jordan reportedly being eyed for the part. While that turned out not to be the case, the character is still widely expected to appear in the upcoming sequel.
Aquaman star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s role hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but all the signs seem to be pointing towards him stepping into Laurence Fishburne’s shoes as Morpheus. While that sounds confusing when Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Jada Pinkett-Smith are all reprising the roles they last played over a decade ago, there’ve been theories circulating online that The Matrix 4 could potentially involve a time travel element.
It seems a little strange that returning director Lana Wachowski would have roles in the story for Reeves and Moss and not the third of the franchise’s longtime leads, but in a recent interview, Fishburne was asked why he wasn’t involved in The Matrix 4 and his answer got right to the point.
“I have not been invited. Maybe that will make me write another play. I wish them well. I hope it’s great.”
Plot details are still firmly under wraps for The Matrix 4, which is now back in production after being shut down for months as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The fourth entry in the blockbuster sci-fi franchise isn’t set to arrive in theaters until April 2022 though, having originally been scheduled for what was supposed to be next May’s ‘Keanu Reeves Day,’ where it would have gone head-to-head at the box office with John Wick: Chapter 4.