Is Will Smith joining the Matrix universe? Mysterious Message Has Fans Crazy With Possibilities

In 1997, the Wachowki offered Will Smith the opportunity to star in their generation-defining sci-fi epic. The matrixbut the Fresh Prince the actor refused to do Wild Wild West. Yeah. Bad life choices aside, the public has remained curious about what a Matrix what a movie starring Will Smith would be like. According to a mysterious post on Smith’s Instagram account, they might get their wish. Stop the presses! Could Will Smith play Neo in THE Matrix 5? Let the speculation begin!

After the release of Warner Bros. The Matrix Resurrections in 2021, the studio confirmed The Matrix 5 is in development. Unfortunately, the Wachowski sisters will not be directing the project. However, WB has Cabin in the woods director Drew Goddard gets behind the camera.

On Monday, Will Smith released a cryptic video reminiscent of the original. Matrix movie. In the video, a typed message tells Will to “wake up.” The message says, “What would The Matrix have looked like with Will Smith as Neo? The video then reveals that Matrix has it, leading fans to believe that Smith will direct the next film in the series. Matrix franchise.

What does this mean? Your guess is as good as mine, but I’d bet Smith will replace Keanu Reeves as Neo for the next one Matrix movie. While this move may seem like sacrilege, it wouldn’t be the first time the franchise has recast the main characters. In The Matrix ResurrectionsJonathan Groff played Agent Smith instead of Hugo Weaving, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II played a version of Morpheus rather than Laurence Fishburne.

If Smith plays Neo, could other characters be recast? Do The Matrix 5 continue the story, or is the fifth live-action film a reboot? Goddard could present an in-universe reason why Smith is replacing Reeves, but it might be better to start from scratch. Whatever the plan, Smith gets the chance to revisit the role of Neo all these years later. Will fans of the franchise enjoy Smith’s portrayal? Will Smith’s Neo feature a similar personality to Reeves? I have so many questions.

What do you think about Will Smith playing Neo in The Matrix 5? Let us know in the comments section below.

About the author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been an editor, columnist and reviewer for JoBlo.com since 2012. He began with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before to launch the companion YouTube series Animated Films Revisited. He is also the host of the Talking Comics podcast, a personality-driven audio show focused on comic books, movies, music and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.