The Matrix 4, a sequel to one of the most successful sci-fi franchises in history, is headed for the big screen this year. Yep, Keanu Reeves returns as Neo despite dying in the Matrix Revolutions. Carrie-Anne Moss will be back too as well as several other well-known stars like Lambert Wilson and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Like many films headed to the theaters in 2021, The Matrix 4 faced many hiccups during the shooting stage last year. And as a result, the film will come out much later than it should have (Dec 2021) but slightly earlier than the date set last year (April 2022). What can we expect from the Matrix 4?
Lana Wachowski Directs the Film
Lana Wachowski Returns as the Solo Director after her sister Lily decided to venture into different projects. That means Lana will also be the executive producer and writer in the film. That’s alright. She has the full support of her sister even though Lily earlier opposed the idea of rebooting the film. Lily also has the support of the cast and Warner Bros.
In fact, Warner Bros Picture Group Chairman Toby Emmerich released a statement praising Lana for being a “true visionary.” He also praised her writing skills saying “We could not be more excited to be re entering ‘The Matrix’ with Lana.”
This comes nearly two years after the studios announced it was having trouble producing production rights for the film. But after their success with Keanu-led movies like ‘John Wick 3’ and ‘Toy Story 4,’ Warner Bros seemed to have found a way to make ‘The Matrix 4’ work.
Star Studded
As we mentioned earlier, Lana is bringing a lot of stars for ‘The Matrix 4.’ Keanu and Anne Moss will take the lead. They will be joined by Jada Smith, who returns as Niobe, Lambert Wilson as the Merovingian and Daniel Bernhardt as Agent Johnson.
Among the debutant will be Priyanka Chopra, Yahya Abdul, Jessica Henwick and Max Riemelt. So far, there’s no information on which roles every star will play. In 2017, there were rumors Michael B Jordan would be picked as a love interest for one of the leads. But that didn’t materialize.
The Plot
Every since the Wachowski twins brought us the Matric in 1999, it has been turned into books, TV shows, and even casino games. Yep, you immerse yourself into the world of the Matrix. But instead of fighting government agencies and looking for answers, your goal is to find winning symbols. Find more info here—a review of the online slot game and guide on where to play it.
Back to the Matrix, there’s no information of which plot Lana’s cast will follow. However, there are signs Lana will follow the precedent set by other sequels. The Matrix Reloaded, for example, took place six months after the events of the original film.
The Matrix Revolutions follows on the events of the Matrix Reloaded too. However, there’s a long-time gap between the upcoming film and its immediate predecessor. There’s also the fact that Lana returns into the project alone, meaning she could change some things.
Filming Locations and Developments
Filming for ‘The Matrix 4 started ins February 20 in San Francisco. Things didn’t go well in the Bay Area, though. There was immense backlash from some residents after the crew filming ‘The Matrix’ damaged street lights and buildings.
After Sans Francisco, filming took place in Germany before returning to Chicago. In the past, ‘The Matrix’ would involve two crews. But that didn’t take place this time with Lana in charge of the entire project. Nonetheless, not everything has been smooth.
The crew didn’t complete filming in Berlin earlier last year. And after COVID-19 hit the US and Europe, it was suspended indefinitely. Filming returned in August in Germany and a month later, Daniel Bernhardt joined the cast as Agent Johnson. The franchise finished principal photography two months later in November.
Release Dates
As we mentioned earlier, The Matrix will becoming much later than we had hoped. At the start of filming, Warner Bros had announced the film would be in theaters by May 21, 2021. Of course, that proved difficult after the pandemic hit.
In turn, Warner Bros pushed the expected release date by a year, saying the earliest ‘The Matrix could get into theaters was April 22, 2022. Fortunately, the nationwide lockdowns that had impacted the movie’s production last year were eased. And as a result, Warner Bros pushed forward the film’s release date to December 22, 2021.
Interestingly, ‘The Matrix’ will also air on HBO Max the same night it’s released on theaters. This is a trending way to release films. It started with Netflix, the Amazon Prime, Hulu and now HBO Max. It’s meant to help streamers get a chance to watch awaited movies on the official release dates.
The Matrix will appear on HBO Max for an entire month. So, if you don’t get a chance to watch it during the premier date, you’ll have until January 22, 2022 to watch it.
Matrix 4 and John Wick 4: Real Crossover or Crazy Theory?
Back when fans expected the Matrix 4 to come out on May 21, the same date as the scheduled release date for John Wick 4, theories suggesting the two films would involve flooded the Internet for days. They subsided after the release date for Matrix 4 was pushed back but never went away.
According to the theories, John Wick was the character for Neo in the hitman movie. This was made possible by the fact that Neo was stuck in a simulation. Although the theories reduced after COVID-19, some argued pushing the Matrix’s release date could be an intentional move.
This isn’t true, though. The Matrix isn’t the only film whose production and release date were impacted by COVID-19. John Wick, for example, won’t be released on May 21, either. It was pushed back for a year for the same reasons as The Matrix. In other words, forget about the rumors, they’re just that.
