Will Smith famously passed on playing Neo in The Matrix. Is he getting a redo?
On Monday, the Oscar-winning (remember that?!?) actor posted the following on his Instagram: “In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him at the time But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo?” It then reads, “Wake up, Will..”
It was announced last year that Drew Goddard is writing and directing a new Matrix movie at Warner Bros. “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,” said Jesse Ehrman, Warner Bros Motion Pictures president of production, in a statement. “The entire team at Warner Bros Discovery is thrilled for Drew to be making this new Matrix film, adding his vision to the cinematic canon the Wachowskis spent a quarter of a century building here at the studio.”
Could this be what Smith is referring to? It’s enough of a possibility to make you go “whoa,” although let’s face it, it’s probably a Super Bowl commercial.