Stunning new fan art envisions Sandra Bullock as a female Neo in The Matrix. The massively popular The Matrix franchise kicked off with the eponymous 1999 film. In the movies, the Machines have gained self-awareness and imprisoned humanity in a virtual reality system known as the Matrix. The original trilogy stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Laurence Fishburne as Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus, respectively, as the three race to free mankind.
Director Lana Wachowski is hard at work on The Matrix 4, which will release in December 2021. While Fishburne will not be returning for the fourth film, both Reeves and Moss are set to reprise their roles. Set videos and photos confirm that shooting is now underway and that the cast is currently in Germany. Although not much is known about the film's plot, cast members are convinced that The Matrix 4 will revolutionize the film industry.
Digital artist apexform has imagined Bullock as a female Neo. Apexform uploads an Instagram post where Bullock's Neo is dressed in a black leather jacket. The artist also recreates two iconic Matrix scenes. The first panel has Bullock stopping a flurry of bullets; the second shows the actress shooting two guns with a maniacal laugh. You can check out apexform's jaw-dropping creations below:
It's all but impossible to picture anyone but Reeves as Neo. However, Bullock was considered for the role years prior. The Matrix producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura had been under enormous pressure to cast a Hollywood star. Bullock's name was brought up, even though Neo's part would have had to be rewritten for a female, but she turned down the role. Bullock has also stated that she was nearly cast as Trinity as well, although the part ultimately went to Moss. Although Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus are now deeply entrenched in Matrix lore, it's still fun to think of what could've happened if Bullock had been cast as one of the three instead.
Wachowski has kept The Matrix 4 details under lock and key, which has led to intense fan speculation about what's to come. Fan theories have proposed everything from time travel to broken peace agreements, but cast and crew members have continued to remain tight lipped. As such, it seems that Matrix enthusiasts will have to wait a while longer before learning any substantial plot points. Still, Wachowski has shown that she's a pro and that The Matrix 4 is in good hands. In the meantime, artists like apexform are ready to help tide fans over until 2021.
Source: apexform/Instagram
