THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS Would Have Been Made With Or Without Director Lana Wachowski

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS Would Have Been Made With Or Without Director Lana Wachowski

Certain aspects of The Matrix Resurrections have led to speculation that Warner Bros. would have moved forward with the sequel if Lana Wachowski had declined to return, & James McTeigue has now weighed in.

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By MarkCassidy - Dec 28, 2021 01:12 PM EST
Filed Under: Matrix

There was talk of a Matrix reboot long before Resurrections was officially announced, and even though none of these earlier projects ever came to fruition, it sounds like Warner Bros. was planning to move forward with a fourth instalment with or without director Lana Wachowski.

Though her sister and co-director Lilly declined to return, Lana did ultimately agree to helm The Matrix 4, and the end result is the highly divisive film that's currently playing in theaters and on HBO Max.

While speaking to Collider, producer James McTeigue - who worked with the Wachowskis on the original trilogy - seemingly confirmed that a fourth Matrix movie would have happened regardless.

"Look... I think when you've had a franchise with that much potential money making capability, there's always talk. It's in the same way that the Marvel universe repeats and turns in on itself, or you have Spider-Man, or you have Iron Man, or Thor. There's always a potential to update those movies just because of the possibility of making the money and telling new stories."

"I shouldn't say it's just a purely fiscal thought," the V for Vendetta director continued. "But yeah, look, there was versions out there, but they hadn't landed on the right version. So when Lana eventually came back around and said, 'Look. I'm interested in making another movie,' of course, they went with the filmmaker who was the genesis of the Matrix."

Some see The Matrix Resurrections' self-aware/meta first act as something of a middle-finger to Warner Bros. for even considering making the movie with another director, and while there might be an element of truth to this, it's highly unlikely that the studio failed to pick up on it!

Wachowski recently shot down reports that a new trilogy is in the works (probably for the best given the current movie's BO performance), and McTeigue also plainly states, "We've got no prequel in mind. We've got no sequel in mind. We've got no further trilogy.”

What did you guys think of Resurrections? Do you feel its detractors are being too harsh? You can check out our review here.

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AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 12/28/2021, 1:07 PM
It would have been better but if they used the same script I would have still had problems with the film.




Great ideas in this film just needed better directing and dialogue and give neo his powers back not that force push BS💁
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/28/2021, 4:00 PM
@AmazingFILMporg - my HBOmax app on my PS5 I on the fritz and won't play anything, so I've had to try to watch it on my phone. I've gotten to the train scene, and im enjoying it so far on a very base level. It's clearly not going to be a 10/10 film, it's already separated to me from the original trilogy, but I kinda love the meta narrative and the ideas they are exploring. I was so worried young Morpheus would be just that, a boring copy, but I'm loving that he started as the new Agent Smith but became self aware, and is also self aware he's the "new Morpheus" and challenges those tropes real time. This is nothing like the tone of any of the previous films and I kinda dig it. It's not grungy and gritty, it's clean and almost like everything is sterilized like a hospital, the opposite of the original trilogy. And I like how they use the framework of the entire original trilogy as the basis for this entirely new concept that melds into the old ideas. It's not just meta, it's smart. And done well in my opinion. It's on the nose and kinda punk rock, straight up name dropping WB and airing their bullahit tactics as part of the [frick]ing film. That's dope.

This film isn't just a sequel, it's a statement to the film industry. At least the first half is. It's a house of mirrors reflecting in on itself and the franchise as a whole. I can tell a lot of thought was put into this film, even if it's not the continuation fans wanted.

I'm enjoying it at about a 7 or 8 out of 10 so far, but how they wrap this all up could sink or swim the story.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 12/28/2021, 4:45 PM
@ElricReturns - Story is pretty good imo and makes sense. Unlike a lot of movie sequels this one is quite sincere as Lana (1 of the wychowskis) came back to write it personally. The biggest downside to this film even if people don't understand the story is the action scenes. Chad Stahowski (John Wick action director) does not know "martial arts" like Yuen Woo Ping the original action director. So the action sequences are terribly mediocre and boring.
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 12/28/2021, 5:15 PM
@mastakilla39 - I think she tanked it intentionally franchise is dead and now never have to hear about it again
DR3D
DR3D - 12/28/2021, 5:40 PM
@ElricReturns - watching a film why casually surfing the internet and posting on a website, it doesn’t seem like the movie has captivated your attention…
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/28/2021, 8:39 PM
@DR3D - as I stated above, due to my PS5s app [frick]ing up to the point of it being useless, I'm having to try to watch it on my phone, while juggling other things working and wrapping up the holiday. I started trying to watch it in time to finish it before work, then the issues set me back and I got to the train scene. I've worked and had to run errands and just got back home. I've had a few openings to check here and post on my breaks and in the drive thru, but I've yet to get back to the movie. I intend to finish it tonight.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/28/2021, 8:42 PM
@DR3D - but I'm definitely casually watching it. I wasn't super invested going in, hence my allowance of watching it on a cell phone when pressed. I'm not a big Matrix fan though I'm from the era. So I'm not like tunnel vision on it or anything. But I've enjoyed what I've seen enough to have these opinions half way lol
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/28/2021, 8:47 PM
@mastakilla39 - yeah the action isn't iconic but it's not terrible. I kinda feel like this new Matrix is the old Matrix through the filter of a modern day video game cut scene. Or even a modern day purposely generic action film. With the narrative of the actual story, it feels fitting that the action is half assed like a modern reboot lol I feel like some of the more goofy aspects of what happens in this movie is a choice to make it as "reboot" quality as possible... 9n purpose.

Idk maybe I'm giving Lana way to much credit, but that's kinda the vibe I'm getting. Like they are purposely shitting the bed and winking at the audience at the same time. Plus they get to play with their old friends with new toys.

Idk, I may be reading too much into it. I've had all day to ponder the first half lol
marvel72
marvel72 - 12/28/2021, 8:54 PM
@ElricReturns - No offence but movies shouldn't be watched on a phone,shit, they need the biggest screen that you have access to.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/28/2021, 9:42 PM
@marvel72 - no offense taken, but I'm an adult and can make my own decisions. This isn't my first cinematic experience. I've been watching movies any way I can for 40+ years, and don't intend to let anyone dictate how I consume my media.

No offense.
ScottSummers
ScottSummers - 12/28/2021, 11:55 PM
@ElricReturns - What a childish reaction.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 12/29/2021, 8:26 AM
@FortWaba -
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 12/28/2021, 1:07 PM
Lana literally had one character literally say that in the movie...that doesnt excuse her
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 12/28/2021, 1:23 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - say what exactly?
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 12/28/2021, 1:28 PM
@MyCoolYoung -


*WB will do matrix 4 with or without you*


Yup, they say that in the movie🤦
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 12/28/2021, 1:38 PM
@MyCoolYoung - Neo doesnt want to make a fourth game, and Smith literally tells him "Warner is doing it with or without you"
DannyDischarge
DannyDischarge - 12/28/2021, 2:21 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - Exactly. This isn’t news to anyone. It was reported 3 or 4 years ago that WB hired someone to write a script for a new Matrix movie. Weren’t there rumors of it staring Michael B. Jordan as Morpheus? This movie was terrible.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 12/28/2021, 2:23 PM
@HorseWengh - I remember something along those lines...a reboot has been in talk for years.
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 12/28/2021, 3:49 PM
@AmazingFILMporg - I must have glossed right over that lol but I kinda remember
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 12/28/2021, 3:49 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - before he was revealed as smith when they were just talking in the office?
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 12/28/2021, 3:51 PM
@MyCoolYoung - Yes
Moriakum
Moriakum - 12/28/2021, 1:07 PM
You can tell just by looking at the end result. It's a very lazy, mediocre movie. Even Keanu just went for the paycheck, he didn't even bother to cut his John Wick haircut and beard.
MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 12/28/2021, 1:08 PM
@Moriakum - He had his shaved-head look in the movie, bozo.
Cap1
Cap1 - 12/28/2021, 1:09 PM
@Moriakum - ?
Moriakum
Moriakum - 12/28/2021, 1:12 PM
@Cap1 - The movie was so bad I kinda forget about that.
Moriakum
Moriakum - 12/28/2021, 1:13 PM
@MosquitoFarmer -For you bozo
solskulldeath
solskulldeath - 12/29/2021, 5:35 AM
@Moriakum - wait.did mr.rogers did that?middle finger?really? Why I haven't notice that since my childhood?
BecauseICare
BecauseICare - 12/28/2021, 1:08 PM
There are still a helluva lot more Matrix Universe stories that can be told! Put it on HBOMax as a series and I'm there!

I will never stop saying I loved this flawed, imperfect movie. Because I did.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 12/28/2021, 1:11 PM
@BecauseICare - After how badly this bombed? aint happening.
I remember back in 2003 there was a prequel with Morpheus and spin-off with Seraph planned (along with more Animatrix shorts), they were scrapped after Revolutions didnt make as much as Warner expected.
BecauseICare
BecauseICare - 12/28/2021, 1:42 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - Give it a few years and it will definitely happen. I say that not because I'm a fan of the franchise, but because of the Terminator franchise. The Terminator movies haven't done well in a good long time. And yet they keep making them every few years. They even did a tv show surrounding them. ("Sarah Conner Chronicles" or something like that on FOX.) And the Terminator franchise isn't the only one they keep "rebooting" or "revisiting". Hollywood will always circle back to properties that have brought them money in the past in hopes lightning will strike twice. (Or in the Matrix's case, five times.) Give it a few years, friend. I can almost guarantee if we don't see a "reboot" of some sort on the big screen we'll definitely see something in the Matrix universe on HBOMax. Whether or not it will be any good is anybody's guess. But because I'm a fan I'll be there.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 12/28/2021, 1:46 PM
@BecauseICare - Dont know, man, the Terminator franchise seems pretty dead to me after Dark Fate.
Still, I think a Matrix reboot would've been a better idea, in fact, I think the script for this movie started as a reboot.

If we get a reboot, it will be with a new creative team, and probably in the next decade...
I think the best course of action would've been a new set of short films with the teams behind Animatrix, but I dont know if Warner is even open to produce that...they just burnt over $200M with Resurrections.
BecauseICare
BecauseICare - 12/28/2021, 2:06 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - I 100% agree with everything you said. If it gets rebooted (it will) it needs to be with a completely new creative team and it needs a good long rest in between. Maybe not 20 years, but like you said, definitely a good decade. And because the Wachowskis are obviously done with it, they really do need to wash their hands of it and walk away. I get it. It's their baby. They want it to be handled with care and not shit on. But at the same time legally it's not theirs. WB owns it. And they have the legal right to do whatever they want with it. Sometimes it's better to walk away.
TheOtherOn
TheOtherOn - 12/28/2021, 5:36 PM
@BecauseICare - Sounds like you haven't watched "Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles". It's a great show but I am not sure if I should suggest you to watch since Fox being typical Fox, they cancelled it after two seasons and it ended on a great cliffhanger.
BecauseICare
BecauseICare - 12/29/2021, 9:10 AM
@TheOtherOn - I heard it was a great show. But I didn't get into it because of the exact reason you laid out: FOX being FOX and bailing on good sh*t WAY before its time. So sometimes "reboots" or "reimaginings" can be good things. But regardless of whether an idea for a property is good or bad, Hollywood will always find a way to circle back to it. The Matrix is no exception.
Kadara
Kadara - 12/28/2021, 1:09 PM
Throughout the movie, I kept thinking man this is unnecessary. They literally had flashbacks to the original with exact lines. And then spread out through it was the message that they had no choice but to make another Matrix as the bosses demanded it. It just left me with a deflated feeling at the end.
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