Warner Bros. announced today the release of the fifth «Matrix» film, written and directed by Drew Goddard, the writer «Martian». This will be the first «Matrix» installment without Lana or Lilly Wachowski in the director’s chair, although Lana Wachowski will serve as executive producer. In today’s announcement, WB did not reveal whether Keanu Reeves or Carrie-Anne Moss will return, nor did it give any details on the release date plot.
«Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all believe will be an incredible way to continue the world of the Matrix, honoring what Lana and Lilly started over 25 years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the franchise and the characters. The entire Warner Bros. Discovery team is very excited to have Drew direct this new film, adding his vision to the Wachowski cinematic canon,» said Jesse Ehrman, President of Production, Warner Bros. Motion Pictures president of production Jesse Ehrman.
Goddard began his screenwriting career in the 90s with the film «Buffy the Vampire Slayer» and has written many television scripts. In film, he received a «Oscar» nomination for his screenplay for Ridley Scott’s «The Martian», worked on the screenplays for «Cloverfield», (known as «Monster»), «World War Z», and wrote and directed «The Cabin in the Woods» and «Bad Times at the «El Royale».
The Wachowski brothers wrote and directed their first film «The Matrix» in 1999, presenting a dystopian future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped in a simulated reality. It became a massive hit, leading to two direct sequels in 2003: «Reboot» and «Revolution». In total, «The Matrix» earned over $1.8 billion at the global box office.
«Matrix: Resurrection» 2021 became the first film in the franchise exclusively directed by Lana Wachowski. The film received mixed reviews and failed at the box office, grossing $159.2 million worldwide against a budget of $190 million. The COVID-19 epidemic had an impact on the box office. The film was also released on HBO Max simultaneously with the premiere.
Source: IGN