Neo Takes the Blue Pill in Official 'The Matrix: Resurrections' Trailer
After months of waiting, The Matrix: Resurrections has finally received an official trailer, the first of a few to come. In it, we can see Keanu Reeves in full John Wick beard as a grizzled Neo. He's got a cute cat, a bottle of blue pills, and the sneaking suspicion that not all is what it seems. Appropriately soundtracked by Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, the nearly three-minute-long trailer sees Neo slipping back into the Matrix, learning to fight, and coming face-to-face with more killer agents.
Ahead of the film's release, we've gathered all the information we have about The Matrix: Resurrections and compiled it below, which should hopefully make your journey down the rabbit hole all the easier.
Who has been cast in The Matrix 4?
Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith reprise their roles as Neo, Trinity and Niobe, respectively.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Mirror) has been confirmed to join the cast as young Morpheus, in addition to Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), Priyanka Chopra (Baywatch), Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter), Andrew Caldwell (iZombie), Toby Onwumere (Sense8), Brian J. Smith (Stargate Universe), Eréndira Ibarra (Sense8), and Jessica Henwick (Game of Thrones), who is expected to play a female Neo-like character.
Unfortunately, Hugo Weaving, AKA Agent Smith, will not be making a comeback. In an interview, the actor explained that he was approached for the role but had to turn it down due to a scheduling conflict.
Who is directing The Matrix: Resurrections?
Lana Wachowski is helming The Matrix: Resurrections. She wrote and directed all three previous Matrix pictures — The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions — with her sister, Lilly.
For the fourth, she co-wrote the script alongside authors Aleksandar Hemon (The Lazarus Project) and David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas).
What is The Matrix: Resurrections' release date?
The release date for The Matrix: Resurrections was initially set for May 21, 2021, however, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, filming had to be put on hold and the release date was moved back by a full year to April 2022 (!). That was eventually pushed up and the film currently has the Christmas-adjacent release date of December 22.
In the early days of filming, fans already shared images and videos from the outdoor set, providing our first look at Keanu Reeves in the upcoming action film.
Filming began in San Francisco in February 2020, and a subsequent shoot was scheduled for Berlin in mid-March, when production was forced to shut down. Filming was initially expected to resume in Berlin in early July as the cast members had signed eight-week extensions. Reeves was spotted in Berlin shortly after, signaling that filming was back on track.
What is The Matrix: Resurrections about?
Plot details are very much under wraps. However, the trailer reveals plenty of juicy tidbits, including Abdul-Mateen's young Morpheus, Neo's combat training, and plenty of combat.
In a quote obtained by Variety, Wachowski said, "Many of the ideas [sister] Lilly [Wachowski] and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now. I'm very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends."
Was the film always titled The Matrix: Resurrections?
The name wasn't revealed until only a few months ago, so it's not entirely clear whether The Matrix 4 always had a specific title.
Previous films in the franchise have been The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions, so it's appropriate that the "R" theme continued with the next installment.
Want more Matrix? Read our interview with the movie's costume designer, Kym Barrett, here.