The “Matrix” saga continues: As recently announced, there will be a fifth installment of the popular sci-fi series. For the first time, neither of the Wachowski sisters will be directing.
From popcorn entertainment to topics discussed in philosophy seminars, the first film of the “Matrix” series has made its mark on film history. The two sequels, conceived by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, about humanity enslaved by machines and their savior Neo, were also hotly debated pop-cultural phenomena. In 2021, “Matrix Resurrections” followed as the fourth installment, with Lana Wachowski alone in the director’s chair.
According to the industry magazine “Deadline,” there will indeed be a fifth part of the saga, with a new director: Lana Wachowski will only serve as a producer. Drew Goddard, a fervent “Matrix” fan who considers the original trilogy among his greatest influences as a filmmaker, will take her place.
New director Goddard: “‘Matrix’ changed my life” “It’s not an exaggeration to say that the ‘Matrix’ films have changed both cinema and my life,” says Goddard. “Lana and Lilly’s wonderful talent inspires me daily, and I am more than grateful to be able to tell stories in their world.”
Goddard has primarily made a name for himself as a screenwriter. His screenplay for the film “The Martian,” starring Matt Damon, was nominated for an Oscar. In 2011, he made his directorial debut with the horror film “The Cabin in the Woods.”
Return of Keanu Reeves & Co. remains uncertain The decision to continue the “Matrix” series with a fifth entry is attributed to Goddard’s initiative, according to a press release from Warner Bros. He presented the studio with an idea for another sequel, “which we believe would continue the ‘Matrix’ world in an incredible way.” This honors the original vision of the Wachowski sisters but is also based on Goddard’s “own passion for the series and its characters.”
It is not yet known which characters will return for the fifth installment or whether lead actors from the first four films such as Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, or Laurence Fishburne will be involved.
