Ah, it has been awhile since we had a good rumor that did not involve Star Wars: Episode VII or Batman vs. Superman casting. This one instead revives another famed trilogy, one from the olden days of the late 90s. With the Wachowski siblings back in the spotlight because of Jupiter Ascending, it was only a matter of time before the inevitable question arose: are we going to get a new trilogy set in The Matrix universe? Well? Are we?
The answer is a resounding maybe. Rumor has it that the Wachowskis are prepping a prequel trilogy to their hit series of films that proposed the world was just a simulation and we were all just slaves of the machines. It has been eleven years since the final instalment, The Matrix Revolutions, premiered back in 2003, so it’s unsurprising that we’re talking about the possibility of a new series. Reboots, sequels, and franchises are more popular now than ever, and Warner Brothers has apparently just remembered that they still own this franchise.
The new set of films will take place before the events of The Matrix, so do not expect Keanu Reeves to appear. These films will also ignore the stories set in place by The Animatrix, which functioned as a detailed backstory to the development of the Matrix system. So, like the Star Wars prequels, we’re likely to hear things about our favorite characters without ever actually seeing them. Hopefully that will be the only resemblance to the Star Wars prequels.
While I’m naturally skeptical about any unplanned prequels, there’s some logic going into this decision (if the rumor is true). The Wachowskis have just recently returned with Jupiter Ascending, which will hopefully do better at the box office than some of their previous post-Matrix outings. The trilogy also remains their greatest success to date, even if the sequels did become progressively less interesting as time went on. If they can bring this world back together and make it good, I see no reason why they shouldn’t. The films still have some resonance too, as Andrew recently pointed out in his article on Buddhism in The Matrix.
Perhaps the Wachowskis still have more to say?
What do you think about the potential for a few prequels to The Matrix? Let us know in the comments below.
