THE MATRIX 4 Loads Up The Cast

Something is brewing in The Matrix and it’s not our coffee. This last week has taken the reality of The Matrix 4 to a whole new programing level with casting announcements and some pretty sweet rumors.

First up was the announcement of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a unknown role. Rumor has it that he might be playing a young Morpheus, previously played by Lawrence Fishburne in the first three films (more on him later). Abdul-Mateen has been noticed for his performances in films like Aquaman, The Greatest Showman, and Us.  Currently he can be seen on HBO’s Watchmen.

The next cast member announced was How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris (we could say Doogie Howser, MD but that might date us). His role is also unknown. Recently NPH has been seen in Netflix’s A Series of Unforunate Events and in films including Alexander Payne’s Downsizing and David Fincher’s Gone Girl. The Matrix 4 will be his first role at a major studio.

Now some of the casting rumors.

Jada Pinkett Smith is reportedly in negotiations to reprise her role as Niobe, the captain of the Logos hovercraft and Morpheus’s ex (or possibly now current) love interest. Her character was seen in The Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions as well as the Enter the Matrix videogame and The Matrix Online multiplayer game. Recent films Pinkett Smith has appeared in are the Madagascar franchise, Collateral, Girls Trip and Bad Moms. She currently hosts Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talks with her daughter, Willow Smith, and her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris.

Also in talks for a lead role is Jessica Henwick, known for her awesomely physical role as Colleen Wing in Marvel’s Iron Fist and The Defenders.  She also appeared in HBO’s Game of Thrones as a Sand Snake sister and in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Currently she voices the character of Alexia for Netflix’s animated series, Gods & Heroes. Adding to the excitement of this possible casting, it’s reported that the film’s director and co-scribe, Lana Wachowski, is looking for a female character similar to Neo to lead the film. With Henwick’s performance in the Marvel shows, it looks like she has the moves down and ready.

These actors will share the screen with Matrix veterans Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, who will be reprising their characters, Neo and Trinity.

Missing from this (maybe for only now?) is Lawrence Fishburne. There has no been no talk of his possible involvement with the film. Now the rumor is that there might be a young Morpheus. Before the announcement for The Matrix 4, there had been a rumor circulating of a prequel to the films that would have a young Morpheus played by Michael B. Jordan. This installment was supposedly going to be written by Zak Penn and not have the Wachowskis involved in any capacity. Whether this was true, it seems that these new rumors for The Matrix 4 have taken to the idea and might fly with a young or even a new Morpheus. It is the Matrix and anything can be programmed, right?

Lana Wachowski will co-write the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Grant Hill returns to produce.

Filming is expected to begin early 2020 and a release date rumored to be in 2022.