That New ‘Matrix’ Movie Isn’t a Reboot or a Remake
When news broke earlier this week that Warner Bros. is developing a reboot of The Matrix, the only appropriate response was one that Keanu Reeves would approve of: Whoa. And that’s not necessarily a good “whoa,” especially since the Wachowskis reportedly aren’t involved. But Matrix fans can relax a bit because, according to the writer of the new project, this isn’t a reboot or a remake after all.
If you (like us) were astonished by the idea that someone would have the audacity to remake or even reboot The Matrix (seems a bit soon, no?), then you may take some comfort knowing that the screenwriter behind the new project is on the same page. Zak Penn, who also wrote X-Men: The Last Stand and Steven Spielberg’s upcoming adaptation of Ready Player One, took to Twitter to correct hasty reports that his Matrix project is a reboot. Although he doesn’t explicitly lay out his plans, Penn adds such much-needed clarity and compares this new Matrix concept to something like Logan or Legion or Deadpool — three titles related to the X-Men universe to varying degrees, but not actual X-Men stories:
Arrival screenwriter Eric Heisserer threw his two cents into the mix, using Rogue One as an interesting analogy:
That approach would certainly make more sense for The Matrix, with its vast universe of potential stories and characters — Neo may have been The One, but he wasn’t the only one with a compelling story.
If what Penn and Heisserer suggest is accurate (and Penn would know best), then it seems that WB is looking to turn The Matrix into their very own Star Wars-esque franchise. Given their creative struggles with the DCEU, and that The LEGO Movie and Harry Potter (via Fantastic Beasts) remain their most successful properties, it’s not all that surprising that WB is looking for another bankable franchise. And Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur movie (which has suffered repeated delays and reshoots) isn’t likely to be the franchise starter they hoped.
Still, this Matrix extended universe idea would sound a whole lot cooler and way more promising if the Wachowskis were involved in some capacity.