Yahya Abdul-Mateen Clarifies If His Morpheus Is The Real Morpheus

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has clarified if his Morpheus is the “real” Morpheus. The Matrix star sat down with EW to talk about the upcoming blockbuster. Abdul-Mateen says that this version of the beloved character is “definitely a different iteration of the character.” A lot of fans lost it when he was announced as Morpheus after the trailer dropped. An appropriate reaction after Lawrence Fishburne was curiously absent from the marketing push while Warner Brothers positioned Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss front and center for The Matrix Resurrections. Still, he’s Morpheus in some way, shape, or form. Abdul-Mateen also says that he’s not giving away any secrets from the film either. So, there’s still some debate about what these comments mean for the movie as a whole exactly. Is this really the fourth installment of the franchise directly spiraling out of the third movie’s conclusion? Is this some sort of strange “reboot” that carries over elements from the previous trilogy? Audiences will find out soon. But for now, read what the actor has to say about his stint in the iconic role.

“I play a character who’s definitely aware of the history of the Matrix [and] the history of Morpheus,” he explained. “This character is on a journey of self-discovery. There’s a lot in our story that’s about growth, defining your own path. Morpheus isn’t exempt from that.”

“Laurence already did what had to be done,” Abdul-Mateen added. “I think what the script provided was a new narrative and some new opportunities that did make room within the Matrix universe for a new Morpheus.”

“What the viewers will come to understand is that there are many rules of the Matrix,” he continued. “Age, appearance, the things we identify as real, can be manipulated in that world. The Matrix is where anything is possible.”

In some previous comments about the film, the Candyman star acknowledged the difficulty in achieving expectations around beloved properties. However, he says that The Matrix is a challenge that he welcomes.

“They both are classics that people love,” Mateen told Variety of his roles in Candyman and The Matrix. “They come with high expectations of excellence, and audiences cannot cannot wait to see them. And it’s nice to be a part of that….Of course, they also come with the opportunity to, to add your own spin to moments and characters. And we’re looking forward to doing that with The Matrix in the same way that we did it with Candyman. It’s all an opportunity to tell new fresh stories and to change the narrative and to add a new perspective on it.”

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