Laurence Fishburnehas explained why he didn’t show up inTheMatrix 4, officially titledThe Matrix Resurrections— and the reason for his absence might surprise fans of the sci-fi franchise. The actor famously portrayed Morpheus in the first threeMatrixmovies but didn’t reprise the role for the 2021 sequel, which arrived in theaters 18 years after the conclusion of the original trilogy and reunited Keanu Reeves as Neo and Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, respectively. Fishburne has now revealed that he wanted to return alongside his co-stars, but ultimately, the decision was out of his hands.
“I offered my services to the fourthMatrix, and they didn’t respond well to that,” Fishburne admitted as he got candid about his role in the franchise during a recent appearance on The View. “It’s not like I didn’t say, ‘I’d like to offer my services.’ I did.” He added that for “whatever reason,” his offer to return as Morpheus was rejected by the team behindThe Matrix Resurrections, concluding, “That didn’t happen. But that’s the truth.”
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Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II insteadtook up the Morpheus mantleforThe Matrix Resurrections, depicting a different iteration of the beloved character (as part of a program created by Neo from his memories) originated by Fishburne in the 1999 movie, which was directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski. While Fishburne has been honest in the past about not being invited to return for the sequel, fans ofThe Matrixsaga will no doubt be surprised to learn that he was willing to come back, but his proposal was turned down.
Could Laurence Fishburne Return as Morpheus in ‘Matrix 5’?
Fishburne’s recent revelations about his Morpheus role coincide with the news thata fifth movie inThe Matrixfranchiseis in development at Warner Bros. The panelists of The View wasted no time in asking Fishburne whether he would consider returning forThe Matrix 5,to which the actor revealed he was still open to the idea. He said it would “depend on the circumstances” surrounding “who was involved” and “how well the script has been written” and whether they offered him a place in the cast.
The Matrix 5will mark the first time in the history of the sci-fi action series that the director’s chair is not occupied by either Lana or Lily Wachowski. It will instead be helmed by Drew Goddard, with Lana on board as an executive producer. Goddard is also handling the script after he approached Warner Bros. with “a new idea” that offers “a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters.” It’s currently unknown if the likes of Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will return for the franchise’s fifth outing.
Source:The View
The Matrix Resurrections
