Will The Matrix 4 pick up the story threads left behind by The Matrix Revolutions? Following almost 16 years of anticipation and speculation, The Matrix 4 was finally confirmed in 2019. Slated for release in 2021, The Matrix 4 will star Keanu Reeves as Neo (probably), Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity and a host of big-name newcomers such as Yahya Abdul-Mateen and Neil Patrick Harris. As one might expect with a series as plot-heavy as The Matrix, much is still unknown about The Matrix 4's plot and characters, leaving fans to theorize how Neo and Trinity might come back from the dead and why Laurence Fishburne isn't included among the cast.
One thing Matrix fans can be reasonably certain about is that the upcoming movie will be a sequel, rather than the complete reboot Warner Bros. were reportedly considering. Looking back on the original trilogy, this would seem to make sense, as the end of The Matrix Revolutions does leave the door ajar for potential future adventures. After The Matrix Reloaded revealed older versions of the digital world once existed (along with previous versions of The One), the final moments of The Matrix Revolutions confirmed Neo's death had triggered the start of a new cycle where humans would be given the choice to leave. Even more foreboding was The Oracle's prediction that Neo might one day return.
Logically, this setup would imply that The Matrix 4 will be set in the era of the new, rebooted Matrix and Neo's return will be the result of The Oracle's prediction, revealing that her foresight extended beyond the original trilogy and deep into the future, possibly even having a hand in Neo's resurrection herself. But when has The Matrix ever been logical?
The Wachoskis were not actively planning a fourth Matrix movie when writing The Matrix Revolutions. Although The Oracle's dialogue and the rebooted Matrix might appear to be setting up future films, these elements also put a hopeful note on the original trilogy's ending. The idea of a "new world" fits the theme of the franchise and the possibility of Neo's return takes the edge off watching Keanu Reeves' character sacrifice himself. Accompanied by the visual image of a rising sun, The Matrix Revolutions' attempt to leave the door open was probably less about future sequels and more about crafting a happier ending.
This means everything fans are theorizing and predicting about The Matrix 4 may prove wildly off the mark. The forthcoming film could completely ignore The Oracle's prediction that Neo would return, not explaining how she knew or what she meant with her final prophecy. Indeed, Neo might not come back at all. It's possible that Keanu Reeves will be playing an entirely new character in The Matrix 4, and this would mean The Oracle foreshadowing Neo's return would remain unresolved. What once appeared to be a way of bringing Keanu Reeves' character back from the dead would prove unnecessary if Lana Wachowski decides to cast Reeves as someone (or something) entirely new.
Similarly, the new Matrix cycle might not feature in The Matrix 4 whatsoever. Fans currently have no idea when the new Matrix movie will be set, and although the rebooted Matrix is a strong possibility, it's only one of many. For example, The Matrix 4 could be set centuries into the future when the entire system of Machines and the Matrix itself has ceased to function, crushed by some brand new threat. This would mean viewers never get to see the new Matrix cycle teased by The Architect at the end of The Matrix Revolutions. This unpredictability makes The Matrix 4 one of 2021's most exciting movie releases. Will Lana Wachowski stick with the existing setup, or move in a different direction entirely?
