Neil Patrick Harris is joining the cyber world of The Matrix Resurrections, and some details can be gleaned about his new mystery character from the trailer. Harris is one of the many new stars joining the franchise, who also include Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra, Christina Ricci, Telma Hopkins, Toby Onwumere, Max Riemelt, Brian J. Smith, and Eréndira Ibarra. They’ll join franchise stalwarts like Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix 4, which releases in theaters and on HBO Max on December 22, 2021.

At first glance, Harris might seem like an odd pick for a sci-fi action franchise like The Matrix. The star is best known (these days, at least) for playing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, as well as his live stage work and his voice acting career that spawns numerous animated films and series. However, despite being known for distinctly un-Matrix things, Harris has also shown himself time and again to be an incredibly versatile actor, evidenced by performances like his chilling turn in 2014’s Gone Girl.

Related: Matrix Resurrections Trailer Breakdown - 39 Reveals, Secrets & Story Details

Harris’ varied career is part of why it’s so difficult to pin down what his Matrix 4 role might be. It also doesn’t help that, in keeping with the traditions of the franchise’s past, most details about the actual story of the film have been kept well under wraps. Still, there’s plenty to dig into from the trailer footage and what’s already known about the world of The Matrix. Here’s everything that’s known about Harris’ character in The Matrix Resurrections.

Neil Patrick Harris In Matrix 4 Trailer

The Analyst talks to Neo in Matrix Resurrections

The first official trailer for The Matrix Resurrections introduces Harris’ character as a therapist working with Neo (Reeves), now back to his "real" world Thomas name. In the footage, Harris asks Neo (Thomas) why he's been so unsettled lately, and Neo – who seems to have lost all memory of the previous three Matrix films – says that he’s been having dreams that are more than just dreams. He asks Harris’ character if he’s crazy, and the therapist responds that they don’t use that word in his office.

It’s a relatively innocuous encounter, other than the dramatic irony that the viewer knows all that Neo seems to have forgotten. The big question is how much Harris’ character knows. If Neo is being kept under control somehow by the programs that built the Matrix, the therapist could be an Agent of the machines meant to stop The One from ever returning to what he was. It’s possible that he’s just an ordinary doctor, but that seems highly unlikely. Nothing in the Matrix – especially regarding Neo – is ever a coincidence. Plus, Harris’ blue-tinged glasses are particularly evocative of the other blue hues present in the trailer, most of which seem to signify a connection to the cyber world’s true identity and efforts to maintain the illusion – for instance, the blue pills. With all that in mind, it’s probably that Harris will be one of the villains of The Matrix 4.

Neil Patrick Harris Matrix 4 Villain Theories Explained

Matrix Agent Smith Neil Patrick Harris Jonathan Groff

There are already a number of popular theories surrounding Harris’ Matrix Resurrections character. One is that he could be an incarnation of the Architect – the all-powerful, all-knowing program that originally built the Matrix and designed each of its subsequent reboots. If Resurrections takes place in a new version of the Matrix simulation, which seems to be the case, the Architect would be heavily involved, and it would make sense for him/it to take special interest in keeping Neo contained, given what happened last time. It would also make sense for him to don some sort of disguise so as not to trigger any unintended memories of Neo’s battle against the Matrix.

Related: Why Matrix 4 Looks So Different (& Less Green)

Another popular theory is simply that Harris’s Matrix 4 character is a villain – a jailer of some kind tasked with keeping Neo’s brain under lock and key. That’s supported by the blue glasses and his overall role in the story. Could Harris be a reincarnation of Agent Smith, or a different Agent altogether? Possibly. Or he could be an entirely different sort of program unique to this new version of the Matrix. Whatever the exact purpose of the character, it’s unlikely that he’s on the side of good. Jonathan Groff’s mysterious new character is being built up subtly as the new big bad of The Matrix Resurrections, but Harris could be another high-ranking antagonist looking to keep Neo and the rest of humanity subjugated.

What Neil Patrick Harris' Character Means For Neo's Story

The matrix 4 Neos Resurrection

Harris’ presence in Neo’s Matrix Resurrections story is basically confirmation that The One is being held under careful control intentionally. Neo has a prescription bottle of blue pills in the trailer, which could only come from his doctor, who appears to be Harris. In the original films, the blue pill was simply a reset button, not something that had to be taken daily to maintain the illusion of the Matrix. That suggests that Neo is so strong that he requires constant sedatives to keep him docile, which Harris seems to be providing.

The main question now is why exactly Harris, or whoever he's working for, doesn't want Thomas to remember he's really Neo and regain his memories. A tenuous peace was established between humanity and the machines at the end of The Matrix Revolutions, with the Architect promising any humans who wished to return to the real world could do so. So why is it necessary to keep Neo subdued? Did the programs evolve or get taken over by some other, more malicious digital force? Is Neo being contained for his own good? Or did the Architect simply lie?

Regardless, it looks like Harris’ Matrix 4 character will be one of the first obstacles Neo will have to overcome to get back to his true self. Morpheus is shown offering Neo a red pill in the Matrix 4 trailer, and another shot shows Neo pouring his blue pills down the sink. If Harris’ express purpose is to keep Neo from returning to his old self, that probably won’t go down especially well. Lots about Harris’ character in The Matrix Resurrections has yet to be revealed, but he should be an interesting addition to the franchise when the film releases on December 22, 2021.

Next: The Matrix: Resurrections - Every Character First Look Revealed

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