Will Smith Finally Unveils His The Matrix Project (And It’s Great)

Will Smith has finally unveiled his Matrix project, officially releasing the music video for his new single “Beautiful Scars,” a collaboration with Big Sean. Before the song kicks in, video begins with a skit parodying the famous red pill/blue pill scene from The Matrix. Big Sean, playing Morpheus, praises Smith for making “awesome career choices” over the past few decades, but notes there’s still one that Smith regrets. Of course, Big Sean is referencing Smith’s decision to turn down the role of Neo in The Matrix. He offers Smith a choice: take the blue pill and everything stays as is, or take the red pill and go back to the ’90s to star in The Matrix. Smith, happy with the way his life has turned out but still conflicted, opts to take both the blue and red pills, leading into the track.

The music video accurately recreates some of the most iconic sequences from The Matrix, including the dojo fight and Neo dodging bullets on the rooftop. Per Variety, the “Beautiful Scars” video was released in conjunction with the announcement of Smith’s new album, Based on a True Story, which will be available in March. Check out the video in the space above.

Throughout January, Smith slowly teased a Matrix-related project with a series of cryptic social media posts. After much speculation, he revealed the cover art for the “Beautiful Scars” single, depicting him and Big Sean dressed as Neo and Morpheus. The song’s music video premiered at a special event held in a handful of major U.S. markets, playing in select movie theaters prior to being released online.

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A fifth installment in the Matrix film franchise is in development, with Drew Goddard attached to write and direct. It has been reported that Smith is not involved with the movie. The Matrix 5 does not have a release date as of this writing.

Using a pop culture touchstone like The Matrix as the foundation for a music video ran the risk of being gimmicky, but Smith found a way to make it work from an artistic perspective. The Matrix homages tie into the theme of “Beautiful Scars,” which is about learning from your mistakes to become a better person. The point Smith and Big Sean are making in the lyrics is that your “beautiful scars” and “beautiful flaws” are necessary in shaping who you are. So, it’s fitting that the music video finds Smith reflecting on one of the great “what if?” moments of his career. After watching The Matrix, Smith realized directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski are “geniuses,” something he couldn’t see during the initial pitch meeting. While he may regret turning down The Matrix, he was able to bounce back and continue having a fruitful career.

Unsurprisingly, the “Beautiful Scars” video boasts strong production values, drawing heavily from one of the most visually stunning blockbusters of all time. It has many cinematic qualities, making it clear why Smith wanted to debut it on the big screen. Based on the title of his upcoming album, it sounds like Smith is exploring autobiographical territory with his new music, so it’ll be interesting to see if any other singles get a movie-inspired video.