The upcoming fourth Matrix film will mark the first new chapter in the franchise since its conclusion with The Matrix Revolutions in 2003. The mixed reception of the two sequels appeared to have killed interest in the further adventures within the series, but co-writer and director Lana Wachowski has apparently crafted something worth the wait and worthy of the return to her fan favorite series. Speaking in a new interview, actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II opened up about reading the script for the movie and working with Lana on the project, teasing that the movie will bring something fans didn’t know they wanted.
“My reaction to the script [was], ‘Wow, people are really gonna like this. I like this. People are really gonna like this,’” Abdul-Mateen II told Collider . “It’s different and it’s the same, you know, at the same time. So it’s a really, really very intelligent blend of what we want and what we may not know that we want.”
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He continued, “My first meeting with Lana wasn’t even really an audition. It was just that it was a meeting about getting to know me, and getting to know her, and our histories, and how I am as an actor. Lana was interested in creating a family before she was interested in creating a cast. I was very fortunate enough to be welcomed into that family. To be over in Berlin with that team, making something special is definitely something that I’m proud to say I’m a part of.”
It’s unclear who Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will be playing in the new film but he’s joined by franchise veterans Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss who will return as their characters Neo and Trinity, respectively. Other cast members from the original three films reportedly returning include Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe and actor Lambert Wilson as The Merovingian aka The Frenchman, one of the most peculiar additions to the sequels.
Abdul-Mateen II isn’t the only newcomer that will be joining the new entry in the series as Iron Fist alum Jessica Henick, Mindhunter‘s Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, iZombie‘s Andrew Caldwell, and even Neil Patrick Harris have been tapped to appear among others.
Production has resumed on the new movie in Berlin, Germany after being shut down by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Following the stoppage in production, Warner Brothers has delayed the feature from May 21, 2021 with a new release date of April 1, 2022.
