While the first opus has just celebrated the 25th anniversary of its release in the United States, the “Matrix” saga will be entitled to a fifth episode. The latter will not be directed by Lana Wachowski (who remains producer), but by Drew Goddard.
This Sunday, March 31, Easter Day, Matrix celebrated 25 years of its release in the United States (for France, you will have to wait until June 23). And it’s a strange coincidence for a film whose hero played by Keanu Reeves is seen as the Messiah and savior of Humanity.
But Warner took advantage of this anniversary to stay on the theme “resurrection” To announce the return of the saga to the cinema. With a major change, since this fifth film will not be directed by Lana Wachowski (who remains executive producer) or her sister Lilly, but by Drew Goddard.
Nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay of Alone on Mars, the latter directed the very enjoyable The Cabin in the Woods, which played with the codes of horror cinema. Then the thriller Bad Weather at the El Royale Hotel, which was not the tarantinade announced (or feared), far from it.
So there’s something intriguing about seeing him take on a saga like The Matrix, if he can give it the same type of treatment as the genres he’s tackled before.
Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss back?
“Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all saw as an incredible way to expand the world of The Matrix, both by honoring what Lana and Lilly started 25 years ago and by offering a unique perspective based on his love of the franchise and its characters”says studio production manager Jesse Ehrman.
But what will happen to these characters? Will we see Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) again as we left them at the end of Matrix Resurrections? Will Morpheus return, in the guise of Laurence Fishburne or Yahya Abdul-Mateen II? And above all, when will this fifth opus take place?
Following ? Reboot? Both ?
Despite its great thematic and metatextual richness, and a desire to remind people that The Matrix is a love story before being an action and science fiction story, Resurrections divided the public.
And its simultaneous release in American theaters and on HBO Max, due to the pandemic, made it the smallest success of the saga, with a worldwide box office amounting to $157.4 million.
Currently without a title or release date, will the new Matrix seek to correct the situation? Or follow in the footsteps of the fourth part? Besides the Oracle, only Drew Goddard and the producers know about it at this time.