Zak Penn Clarifies ‘The Matrix’ Reboot Rumors

Fans eager to see The Matrix get a reboot may be getting a bit ahead of themselves, according to writer Zak Penn.

In response to The Matrix star Keanu Reeves being questioned about the rumored Matrix reboot, Penn took to Twitter to clarify that yes, he is working on something in The Matrix franchise, but that calling the project a reboot or sequel is a misnomer.

“Re: The Matrix, yes I’m writing something,” Penn tweeted. “Not a reboot, not a continuation, watch Animatrix, read comics to see what Wachowskis did.”

Penn went on to say that the project is so early in development that even calling it a movie is a bit misleading.

“A script in development is not a movie,” Penn tweeted. “No casting, director, style can be discussed yet. Nothing to see here folks…yet.”

As if coming to Reeves’ defense, Penn noted that asking actors about their involvement is a fruitless endeavor at this point, since there’s nothing to be involved with.

“No need to put actors or anyone on the spot, because there’s nothing there yet,” he said. “No reboot or reimagining, no recasting involved. And this is not the point in process that those decisions get made. So many hoops to jump through, the first one I gotta do myself.”

Penn’s references to The Animatrix, The Matrix‘s tie-in animated anthology direct-to-DVD release, and The Matrix comics seems to be an attempt to remind fans that the Wachowskis built a universe much larger than just Neo, Morpheus, and Trinity. Perhaps whatever Penn is working on involves a new crew, or a previous incarnation of “The One,” or an expansion of one of the stories from The Animatrix.