It looks like the prophecy may still be realised…
It’s well known to movie fans out there that way back in 1997 when the Wachowski brothers were were trying to get their new sci-fi movie, The Matrix, off the ground that they had a vision for the lead character, Neo, the saviour of humanity and that vision was in the shape of… Will Smith.
However, at the time, Smith turned the role down for his Wild, Wild West movie, leaving Keanu Reeves to take it on and the rest, as they say is history.
Cloverfield’s Drew Goddard signs on to write and direct new Matrix movie
Jump forward some almost 30 years and it seems that Smith may yet get his chance at Neo.
Taking to social media, will Smith shared a video post telling how he passed on the role and made Wild, Wild West instead and then, as the text is ending, the words read: “Wake up, Will… The Matrix has you.”
Is this a tease that Smith, star of the Bad Boys and Men In Black franchises (and so much more), is ready to finally tackle a role that passed him by and, no matter how successful he has become, is bound to sting worse than a slap in the face all these years later.
Which all leads back to April 4th 2024, when I reported that Lost and Cloverfield’s Drew Goddard has signed on to write and direct a new Matrix movie: “It is not hyperbole to say The Matrix films changed both cinema and my life [and] inspires me on a daily basis, and I am beyond grateful for the chance to tell stories in their world.”
WATCH: Prepare to go ‘woah’ at the new trailer for The Matrix: Resurrections
Is this where Will Smith’s post comes in? Is he stepping in to replace Reeves as Neo? Is he the next incarnation of Neo as foretold in the original trilogy (I don’t acknowledge that a fourth movie ever happened, sorry)? Or perhaps he’s a new character altogether… could we see Will Smith and Keanu Reeves together in the Matrix?
Off course, there’s always a chance that this isn’t related to the Goddard movie at all, it’s not totally impossible that Warners wants to really capitalise on The Matrix brand with more than one project.
Whatever it is, Smith is a great choice and it’ll be fun to see him in a franchise that wanted him all those years ago.
Thoughts?
Smith’s post on Instagram:
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Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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