The Matrix franchise is quintessential late '90s early '00s, and broke new ground as far as movie visuals go. The sci-fi property will return to theaters with the untitled Matrix 4, with Lana Wachowski returning to the director's chair to continue the story. Wachowski has been assembling a cast for the upcoming sequel, with newcomers joining familiar faces Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. And another name has been added to that cast list, Frozen's Jonathan Groff.
Jonathan Groff has had a great career on the stage and screen, but landing a part in The Matrix will no doubt help him become a household name. Groff is perhaps best known for voicing the role of Kristoff in the Frozen franchise, as well as his leading role in Netflix's Mindhunter. But his next movie project will bring him into an apocalyptic future, and one of the most iconic sci-fi franchises of all time.
Exactly what role Jonathan Groff has remains a mystery according Collider's report. And that will probably continue until the upcoming blockbuster wraps production. But he joins a stellar cast of fellow newcomers and returning cast members. Other new faces include Neil Patrick Harris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Iron Fist's Jessica Henwick. Jada Pinkett Smith is also reportedly reprising her role as Niobe.
Jonathan Groff's career started on Broadway, with theater roles continuing as he got film work. Groff was in the original cast of Spring Awakening and Hamilton, receiving a Tony nomination for each. After appearing in a handful of Glee episodes, Groff got his first starring TV role in HBO's Looking. And in addition to voicing Kristoff in Frozen, he went on to play the lead in Mindhunter for Netflix.
It should be interesting to see what Lana Wachowski has in store for the Matrix franchise with the fourth movie. Wachowski has continued to push boundaries as a filmmaker, recently helming the massive ambitious Netflix series Sense8, and its finale movie. While that show was one of the first to be cancelled by the streaming service, she grappled with some complex stories that should hopefully aid her creative process with The Matrix 4.
Related: The Matrix 4 Actor Describes The New Script
As Lana Wachowski continues to assemble the cast of the fourth Matrix movie, I have to wonder if any of the cluster from Sense8 will get a call. She worked heavily with that group across multiple countries during filming, so it would stand to reason if she wanted to further collaborate. But we'll just have to wait and see as the cast list continues growing.
Details about The Matrix 4 are slim, but the movie will reportedly feature younger version of the franchise's heroes. Lana Wachowski and the Matrix franchise have been known for wild and unexpected plot twists, so seemingly anything can happen with the highly anticipated fourth entry.
The Matrix 4 is currently expected to arrive in theaters in 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
