Global health concerns have brought the entertainment industry to a halt, as TV and film sets were shut down for safety. One of these highly anticipated movie projects was Lana Wachowski's The Matrix 4, which was a few weeks into filming when the cast and crew were sent home to shelter in place. Moviegoers are eager to see what Wachowski has in store for the iconic science fiction franchise, and now we've got an idea when the upcoming sequel will kick production back up.
The Matrix 4 will no doubt contain a ton of locations and action sequences, so shooting is likely going to be a long and grueling experience. It was pretty early on in the process when the set was shut down, so Lana Wachowski will likely have to hit the ground running once she's able to resume filming. And it looks like the studio is hoping to resume filming in early July.
This newest update comes to us from Deadline, which reports that the cast of Matrix 4 has signed extensions in their contract which keep them on hold until July 6th. Thats when Lana Wachowski and company are hoping that filming can start, with production reportedly starting abroad. Namely, in Berlin, Germany. And that's only one location for the long awaited Matrix sequel.
This isn't the first example of a movie getting the chance to resume production abroad. Both New Zealand and the U.K. have given sets the green light to start up again, provided they create new safety and health measures for everyone involved. This can open up movies like Avatar 2 and The Batman to continue filming, and now it looks like The Matrix 4 has similar plans in Germany.
Lana Wachowski has had a ton of experience shooting abroad lately, as her Netflix series Sense8 shot across the globe. The sci-fi show filmed in 11 countries throughout its tenure on the streaming service, using different crews and flying the cast around the planet. So it should be easy for her to continue working on The Matrix 4, traveling from San Francisco to Berlin in the process.
It should be interesting to see where The Matrix 4 takes the franchise's story, especially after the ending of The Matrix Revolutions. Despite their characters' apparent deaths, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will both reprise their roles as Neo and Trinity respectively. Also returning are Jada Pinkett Smith and Lambert Wilson, with Lana Wachowski welcoming a ton of newcomers to the franchise as well.
There's been no indication of The Matrix 4's story so far, with everyone involved keeping their cards close to the chest. It is very early on in the movie's production, so smart money says fans will have to patiently wait for information for the indefinite future. Let's just hope that The Matrix 4 is able to continue filming as planned.
The Matrix 4 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 21st, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your trips to the movies once they reopen.
