Back in August we were pleasantly surprised to learn that a fourth Matrix movie is officially in the works with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprising their roles, and Lana Wachowski returning to write and direct the next installment in the revolutionary sci-fi franchise. Variety brings another pleasant surprise today with news of some very intriguing casting: Yayha Abdul-Mateen II, who appeared in last year’s Aquaman, has landed the lead role in the fourth Matrix movie. It was rumored that a younger version of Morpheus—played by Laurence Fishburne in the original trilogy—would appear in the new sequel, and while plot details have yet to be confirmed, it’s possible that this is the role Abdul-Mateen will play. Maybe. It’s fun to speculate about these things.
The young Morpheus rumor allows for all sorts of possibilities, including time travel or a prequel narrative (or both?). It’s also interesting that Abdul-Mateen’s role is described as one of the leads; given the conclusion of The Matrix Revolutions, it wouldn’t be terribly surprising if Reeves’ Neo wasn’t a prominent character this time around, but it does have us even more curious about the nature of his role in this sequel. Wachowski will reportedly begin production in early 2020 on the fourth Matrix movie, based on a script she co-wrote with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell.