The Matrix 5 has a chance to still get made, but there is some good news and bad news for the fans. The first movie in the franchise hit theaters in 1999 and remains one of the most groundbreaking sci-fi cyberpunk movies of all time. It stars Keanu Reeves as Neo, a man who feels something isn’t right about his world, and he has every reason to believe this. He and everyone else are living in a virtual reality world controlled by the machines that have taken over the real world. When awakened from this dream world, he joins a rebellion as The One and sets out to shut down the computers and bring everyone back to the real world.
While this was a great movie, the two sequels got overly complicated, and the fourth movie, which arrived in 2021, was a great reinvention that was mostly ignored. In a recent interview with KCRW, Lilly Wachowski said she is personally finished with the franchise. However, she did have some good news for fans.
The Matrix 5 Is in Good Hands, but Its Future Is Uncertain
According to Wachowski, writer-director Drew Goddard has control of the franchise, and he has had the rights since 2024, with Lilly’s sister, Lana Wachowski, as an executive producer. This is good news because Goddard can bring a fresh outlook to a franchise that the Wachowskis might have mined for all they could to this point. Goddard has directed two of the best cult classics of the 21st century with The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale. He has also written movies like Cloverfield, The Martian, and Project Hail Mary. Add in his TV work, where he created Daredevil for Netflix, and Goddard has what it takes to lead The Matrix to the next level.
That said, there is bad news. Lilly also said that Goddard requires approval from both sisters, and the director said he won’t move on without their blessing. There is still a chance that it gets done, and the sisters can still offer some light input before making a decision about the future of the franchise in Goddard’s hands. With all that said, at least Lilly is finished with anything to do with it other than giving her blessing or nixing Goddard’s take.
Fans are split on what they think about the recent news. There are some fans who are not happy about the franchise moving on without the Wachowskis. One person on X wrote, “Hopefully it doesn’t go forward. There doesn’t need to be another Matrix film, especially one without the Wachowskis’ direct involvement.”
However, others are excited about Drew Goddard’s attitude about the franchise and his wanting the sisters’ approval first. One commenter wrote, “I personally think having Lana on board as an executive producer is cool, but knowing Drew is waiting for Lilly’s thumbs up too shows he genuinely wants to protect what made the original 1999 masterpiece so special.”
The last movie in the franchise was The Matrix Resurrections, which had Neo back in a computer simulation. The computers made Neo believe he created a video game about the Matrix to keep him docile. However, when he finds Trinity in there and their memories start to return, the two fight to beat the system once again. Lana co-wrote and directed this one, and Lilly wasn’t involved here either. It seems that Lana might still have some connection to the material, so if Goddard wants to move forward with The Matrix 5, it might be her that he needs to convince.