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After The Matrix Resurrections debuted to an underwhelming box office and middling reviews in 2021, it became clear in the aftermath that the blockbuster franchise’s studio, Warner Bros., wanted a reset, with trades reporting that director Lana Wachowski would stay on as an executive producer of a proposed fifth Matrix movie but essentially hand off the new installment to Drew Goddard, the screenwriter behind this year’s smash hit, Project Hail Mary.
Things have gone a bit quiet since then, but in March of this year, Goddard suggested he was still writing the script for the fifth Matrix and also spoke highly of the fourth one, saying he was “deeply moved” by it and that the Wachowskis’ movies had “a profound impact” on his creative voice, adding, “I take this responsibility very seriously. I feel the weight of wanting to do right by the fans, wanting to do right by the creators and wanting to do right for myself as a fan.”
Since The Matrix 5 is set to become the first film in the series not directed by either Wachowski, it has also been somewhat unclear how much sway the sisters had over it, but in a new interview with KCRW’s The Business (via Dark Horizons), Lilly Wachowski, who co-directed the first Matrix trilogy, has been chatting about Warner Bros.’ ongoing desire to make another film.
“Warner Bros., they wanna make another thing,” Wachowski said. “They’re always gonna wanna make another thing. Personally, I don’t wanna play in that sandbox anymore. I’m kinda done.”
Despite having no interest in making more Matrix movies, Wachowski did update listeners that “there may be a thing that’s happening with Drew Goddard,” but revealed “he doesn’t wanna go forward unless he gets our blessing. And so, it becomes this complicated situation where, maybe we’re gonna stick our noses in a tiny bit and see how we feel, and if we wanna pass on our blessing to Drew or not. So, it could be something that’s coming down the road, but it’s still unknown.”
So, while the 2024 announcement that a fifth Matrix movie would be pressing ahead made it seem like quite a straightforward process and even a sure thing, it does sound like Goddard is still trying to not only nail down a script that would honor the original filmmakers and reward fans of the previous films in the series, but also write a story that secures the Wachowskis’ blessing for it to go ahead.
The irony of making another Matrix can’t be lost on Goddard. Lana Wachowski made sure that The Matrix Resurrections went out of its way to pose meta questions about whether another movie in the series should even exist, poking fun at sequels, reboots, fan expectations, and even Warner Bros. It may take a really unique and worthy idea to argue that The Matrix 5 is worth pursuing.
The post The Wachowskis May Decide the Fate of The Matrix 5 appeared first on Den of Geek.
