‘The Matrix 4’ could have been made without Lana Wachowski

As we’ve been expecting since the first reactions made their way online, The Matrix Resurrections has proven to be one of the most polarizing blockbusters of the year.

That was always going to happen when it’s an ambitious, self-referential and undeniably meta sci-fi actioner, but it sounds as though it may have been partially inspired by another real-world scenario.

During an early exchange with Jonathan Groff’s Smith, Keanu Reeves’ game developer John Anderson is told that Warner Bros. are planning on making a fourth entry in The Matrix series with or without him, so he’s as well getting on board with the project, because it’s happening either way.

In an interview with Collider, producer and regular Wachowski collaborator James McTeigue hinted that the studio were toying with the notion of doing just that; revisiting The Matrix as a property to leverage the enduring popularity of the brand, without having the creators involved.

“Look. I think when you’ve had a franchise with that much potential money making capability, there’s always talk. It’s in the same way that the Marvel universe repeats and turns in on itself, or you have Spider-Man, or you have Iron Man, or Thor. There’s always potential to update those movies just because of the possibility of making the money and telling new stories.

I shouldn’t say it’s just a purely fiscal thought. But yeah, look, there was versions out there, but they hadn’t landed on the right version. So when Lana eventually came back around and said, “Look. I’m interested in making another movie,” of course, they went with the filmmaker who was the genesis of The Matrix.”

Just when you thought The Matrix Resurrections couldn’t come any closer to smashing through the fourth wall, you discover that WB were actively discussing doing the thing that eventually made it into the script as the thing that shouldn’t be done because the fans and key creatives would hate it. Got all that?