Warner Bros. is getting ready to revive The Matrix franchise. Today, a new report by The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the popular sci-fi franchise is coming back with a new filmmaker leading the charge. Writer-director Drew Goddard, who's known for movies like World War Z, The Martian, and The Cabin in the Woods, will write and direct a new Matrix movie, Warner Bros. announced today.
The new report confirmed that The Matrix comeback will be the first movie that doesn't involve the creators of the sci-fi franchise, Lana and Lilly Wachowski. However, Lana is still listed as an executive producer on Goddard's project, but at this time, it's still unclear how much the creator will be involved. Plot details for the new Matrix movie are still being kept under wraps, though Warner Bros. said that Goodard approached the stduio with a new take to extend the franchise.
Warner Bros. Motion Pictures president of production Jesse Ehrman shared a statement about the new Matrix project:
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. 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.
This news comes just a few days after the 25th Anniversary of the first The Matrix movie. The sci-fi movie captivated audiences with its mind-blowing story, groundbreaking special effects, and an iconic performance from Keanu Reeves. Co-written and co-directed by the Wachowskis, the movie featured a messiah-like figure named Neo (Reeves) who was chosen to lead a rebellion in a world that's revealed to be a simulated reality with humans.
The sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, were released in theaters in 2003, and more recently Lana Wachowski returned to direct The Matrix Resurrections in 2021, but it only grossed $159 million worldwide in the pandemic-era box office. However, the studio is not done with The Matrix yet, and it looks like Goddard has a strong vision for the sci-fi franchise.
