*UPDATE* Not so fast! A representative for director Chad Stahelski tells Slashfilm that he was simply responding to a hypothetical question about the Wachowskis directing The Matrix 4, not making an actual claim. Doesn’t seem to jibe with his comments, but whatever. Original story is below.
It’s been a couple of years since we got concrete word about a new movie in The Matrix franchise, which screenwriter Zak Penn assured us wouldn’t be a reboot. Details have been pretty scarce, especially when it comes to the potential involvement of the Wachowskis who have been ghost from the movie scene since 2015’s busted Jupiter Ascending. Now, two full decades after The Matrix blew all of our minds, it’s beginning to sound as if the Wachowskis are ready to return.
The news comes from John Wick 3 director Chad Stahelski in an interview with YahooUK. The director and former stuntman revealed the Wachowskis’ comeback for a fourth Matrix movie…
“I’m super happy that the Wachowskis are not just doing a ‘Matrix,’ but they’re expanding what we all loved,” Stahelski said. “And if it’s anywhere near the level of what they’ve already done, it wouldn’t take more than a call to go, ‘Hey, we want you to be a stunt guy’ and I would probably go and get hit by a car.”
When asked if that meant the Wachowskis were actually directing, he replied “I’m not sure of the overall. I’m not sure if Lana is.”
Stahelski then went on to volunteer his services and “put down whatever” he was working on to join them. The same goes for Keanu Reeves who just happened to be sitting next to him, as he added “That would be a gift. I wouldn’t say no to that. Yeah.”
Both Reeves and Stahelski have reason to be interested. Neo remains arguably Reeves’ biggest role in a career full of memorable ones, while Stahelski was stunt coordinator on the Matrix films before he became a sought-after director.
This is by no means a confirmation of anything, but the thought of the Wachowskis coming back and building on the amazing universe they created with the first Matrix movie, then arguably squandered away with a couple of disappointing sequels, is pretty exciting.
