Keanu Reeves loves to return to a franchise year after year, as he did with Bill and Ted and John Wick, but one of his most famous roles has to be Neo from 1999’s The Matrix. That’s when Reeves went from stoner musician to action star.
After 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections, it seemed like we were done with Neo & co for good, but Warner Bros has other plans. The studio announced that Drew Goddard has been chosen to write and direct the next phase of the Matrix-verse.
Goddard is known for penning Daredevil for Netflix and writing and directing Bad Times at the El Royale, as well as the cult favorite horror movie Cabin in The Woods. The writer/ director was approached by Warner Bros. to keep the Matrix World running. “Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the Matrix world, by both honoring what Lana and Lilly began over 25-years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters,” Warner Bros. Motion Pictures president of production Jesse Ehrman said in a statement. “The entire team at Warner Bros. Discovery is thrilled for Drew to be making his new Matrix film, adding his vision to the cinematic canon the Wachowskis’ spent a quarter of a century building here at the studio.” Lana Wachowski will act as an executive producer on the new installment. But will Reeves return?
It’s not clear if Reeves will return for the installment, though he would likely get a hefty payday if he chooses to throw on that iconic leather duster once again. Reeves reunited with Carrie-Anne Moss for the 2021 installment which also featured Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jonathan Groff.
In 2021, Reeves said he would only return if Lana was on board. “If she invites me again, I’m in,” he said. Since Wachowski is attached to produce there might be a chance of Neo’s return. But the response to The Matrix Resurrections was so muted that maybe he’ll just stick to John Wick cameos for now.