If you’re still trying to process the meta thrill ride that The Matrix Resurrections offered up, you’re not alone. The fourth installment of the legendary film franchise has left fans reeling in more ways than one. Some are wondering what to make of the film’s new twists and turns, and others are wondering what, if anything, comes next. Luckily, one of the film’s producers has weighed in on whether we can expect Resurrections to be the beginning of a new trilogy.
Nearly 20 years passed between The Matrix Revolutions and its follow-up. Given how accustomed we all are to The Matrix being a trilogy, this fourth film has brought up as many questions as it answered – especially surrounding the future of the franchise. In a conversation with Fandango, Matrix Resurrection producer James McTeigue was asked whether a reference to a sequel trilogy in the film was a harbinger of more movies to come. He had a surprisingly direct answer:
Not at the moment. I think for us at the moment, this film just lives within this film. We haven't spoken or thought about sequels yet. So, no, not at the moment.
This answer probably should not come as a surprise to Matrix fans. McTeigue is not the first person to insinuate that Resurrections could be a standalone addition to the film series. Warner Bros. has deferred to Lana Wachowski on the matter of whether any sequels are on the horizon. Wachowski, for her part, has made it clear that she wasn’t even originally planning on making the fourth film, so it seems as though future installments were not a part of her long-term plan either.
That doesn’t mean the door is closed forever on another Matrix film. If the inspiration strikes, it seems as though Warner Bros. would be happy to greenlight it. With another thriving franchise still keeping him busy, Keanu Reeves isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. He has shared that he agreed to do The Matrix Resurrections because he was moved by the storyline, which centered on Neo and Trinity’s relationship. So, all it may take to get him back on board is a solid character arc.
The last question is whether fans would be on board for another Matrix movie, too. The overall reaction to The Matrix Resurrections has been mixed so far, with some enjoying its mind-bending story and cleverly hidden Easter eggs, and others finding it to be an unnecessary addition to the franchise. Resurrections ends in a way that could serve as a fitting conclusion for the series, but also offers enough loose ends to justify a future revisit.
We’ll just have to wait and see whether Lana Wachowski wants to bring us back down the rabbit hole again. In the meantime, The Matrix Resurrections is playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.
