The upcoming Matrix 4 movie adds actor Brian J. Smith to the cast, who previously collaborated with Lana Wachowski on Netflix's popular Sense8 series. Lana Wachowski, who co-wrote and co-directed the original Matrix trilogy with her sister Lilly, returns to helm the fourth installment alone. She co-wrote the script with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. The release date for the new film is May 21, 2021.
The Matrix is generally believed to be one of the best science-fiction films ever made, though the sequels are less well-liked. The series stars Keanu Reeves (John Wick), Laurence Fishburne (Mystic River), and Carrie-Anne Moss (Memento). It follows Reeves' character Neo, a hacker who discovers that his mundane world is actually an artificial reality built by intelligent machines to control and use humans as energy sources. Hugo Weaving (The Lord of the Rings) played the original antagonist, Agent Smith.
According to Deadline, Smith has been cast in an unknown role, adding to an already stacked cast. It seems that Wachowski likes to reteam with people she's previously directed. Along with Smith, Sense8 alums, Toby Onwumere, and Eréndira Ibarra have also been cast in unknown roles. Other cast members include Priyanka Chopra, Jonathan Groff, Jessica Henwick, Neil Patrick Harris, Andrew Caldwell, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who is rumored to be playing a young Morpheus, played by Fishburne in the original films. Returning cast members include Reeves as Neo, Moss as Trinity, and Jada Pinkett-Smith as Niobe. Lambert Wilson is also expected to return as The Merovingian.
Smith has previously starred in the Wachowskis' science-fiction drama Sense8 on Netflix, as well as the recent Jason Bourne spin-off television series, Treadstone. Sense8 was a cult hit for the streamer. When they canceled the show shortly after the premiere of its second season, fans started a petition to save it, and Netflix allowed the Wachowskis to film a finale movie. The USA series Treadstone features Smith as a character named Doug, who suddenly finds out that he's a sleeper agent, or a "cicada," trained to kill and follow missions for the CIA.
Starring in Treadstone and now The Matrix, Smith has had a lot of success jumping into huge action franchises. Some recently rebooted franchises have failed to succeed at the box office, but with many original cast members returning, along with all the amazing new actors, Matrix 4 is shaping up to be an exciting project. Despite Weaving not being able to return due to scheduling conflicts and the film having to share a release date with Reeves' other franchise John Wick 4, the star power and talent behind Matrix 4 has created high hopes for original fans and regular moviegoers alike.
Source: Deadline
