The Matrix relaunch in early stages at WB

[sense8ional]

Erendira Ibarra (Sense8's Daniela) too ?

https://deadline.com/2020/01/matrix-4-sense8-actress-erendira-ibarra-reteams-with-lana-wachowski-on-warner-bros-village-roadshow-sequel-1202833964/

Really hope we get Tina Desai...

BTW, filming will begin in SF in about 3 weeks from now!

[sense8ional]

Max Riemelt (Sense8's Wolfgang) joins the cast!
https://twitter.com/MaxRiemelt/statu...40938976501763

[Ubik]

Sense8's Toby Onwumere cast! https://deadline.com/2019/12/matrix-...el-1202805820/
I think the (almost inevitable) Doona Bae role went to Jessica Henwick instead: https://deadline.com/2019/10/matrix-...ss-1202760995/



The rest of the cast and aside of Reeves and Moss includes Jada Pinkett Smith returning from Matrix 2&3, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (if you are watching HBO's excellent Watchmen, then you know him from that for sure after the last couple episodes... but I will spare you the spoilers if you haven't caught up), Jonathan Groff (lead on David Fincher's Mindhunter on Netflix), and Neil Patrick Harris (in his first scifi role since Starship Troopers).

Henwick and Abdul-Mateen II are described as leads.

Important to note Sense8's (and Stranger Things') excellent casting director Carmen Cuba is handling the casting here too, so I expect the actors to have great chemistry.

Coming May 21, 2021. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...-dates-1261939

Some solid casting choices there! I think Keanu's recent popularity is going to have to carry this to a certain extent and was probably a big factor in it getting the green light. I hope the script is up to snuff and they have a wothwhile story to tell.

[sense8ional]

Sense8's Toby Onwumere cast! https://deadline.com/2019/12/matrix-...el-1202805820/
I think the (almost inevitable) Doona Bae role went to Jessica Henwick instead: https://deadline.com/2019/10/matrix-...ss-1202760995/



The rest of the cast and aside of Reeves and Moss includes Jada Pinkett Smith returning from Matrix 2&3, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (if you are watching HBO's excellent Watchmen, then you know him from that for sure after the last couple episodes... but I will spare you the spoilers if you haven't caught up), Jonathan Groff (lead on David Fincher's Mindhunter on Netflix), and Neil Patrick Harris (in his first scifi role since Starship Troopers).

Henwick and Abdul-Mateen II are described as leads.

Important to note Sense8's (and Stranger Things') excellent casting director Carmen Cuba is handling the casting here too, so I expect the actors to have great chemistry.

Coming May 21, 2021. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...-dates-1261939

[sense8ional]

I want to see Valeria Bilello again

And hey, she said she would absolutely take the red pill

https://www.elle.com/it/magazine/interviste/a25975374/valeria-bilello-oggi/

What if you have to choose between the blue pill and the red pill?

Without a doubt the red one. Knowing that there is a way to dig and discover something I would never be able to go home, get into bed and sleep, thinking that I missed something unique. I am a very curious person and, at my peril, I never turn my head away.

[Looney]

There's no way they are not asking Doona Bae at minimum.

Oh I just assumed she was a given.

[sense8ional]

There's no way they are not asking Doona Bae at minimum.

[Looney]

Okay, Okay now that it is out there what do we think the odds are we might see someone, or many persons, from Sense 8 in a Matrix reboot? Please mention your choices as well. I don't know why, but I would love to see Tina Desai as a Matrix villain. Having said that I now can not picture a Matrix reboot without the entire cast of Sense 8.

[sense8ional]

No problem!

Sense8's John Toll about to come on board as cinematographer. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/be...trix-4-1233871

Curious to see if they will go with Tykwer and co. for composers or Giacchino (doubt they will bring Davis back).

[Ubik]

Thanks for the in depth update. Really interesting!

[sense8ional]

Very surprised that Hollywood is willing to take a chance on the Ws again after Jupiter Ascending. However, Keanu is on fire right now and can do no wrong. I hope they have a worthwhile story to tell.It's cool that Mitchel and Hemon are on board.

WB have been desperate to make a Matrix film for a while. And for better or worse for them, they understand they have to involve the Wachowskis in some way.
Be it in order to get the original cast on board (particularly Keanu, of course), or to get some fans interested, or whatever.

They had Zak Penn work on some story ideas and scripts for some years now (hence why this thread has existed for some time) and most likely the Wachowskis weren't giving them the endorsement WB so wanted because they are notoriously anti-sequel/reboot/etc. But at some point Lana must have decided "if it's going to happen anyway, I'll do it", and WB realized this was the only opportunity they had to get the Wachowskis (well, one of them) involved.

I'm 100% certain if it was any other film Lana pitched they wouldn't be interested.

But as Variety says Lana's script actually drummed up excitement within WB, so that's good to hear.

Warner Bros. has been trying for the last of couple years to find a way to get back into "The Matrix" universe, but a hold-up over producing rights slowed the project down. Over the past couple of months, the studio saw an opportunity to ramp up development, with Reeves boasting a strong summer that included box office hits "John Wick 3" and "Toy Story 4" and a script from Wachowski that drummed up excitement.

In other news, Hemon briefly talked about writing about the film: https://windsorstar.com/news/world/b...7-0dc3c73dc513

"I like writing here in my family apartment," said the award-winning author, who has just finished writing the script for the fourth Matrix film, along with British writer David Mitchell and Lana Wachowski, who will direct the movie.

The same trio worked on the Netflix show Sense8.

"I love it," Hemon said of script writing. "I am privileged that I work with friends ... and there is a lot of money involved, unlike writing a book."

Also, Geof Darrow and Steve Skroce are back to work on conceptuals and storyboards.

According to Darrow "most of the original cast is back", so we might get more cast announcements in the future?

https://twitter.com/DarrowGeof/statu...29807987437568

Well it is official so I can say what I been up to for the past 8 weeks.I am returning to do conceptual designs on Matrix 4 with most of the original cast returning. Nice to be sharing an office with the masterful Steve Skroce again and trying to do a good JOB!!!!!!!

Finally, Lilly Wachowski said a little before the news broke about Lana returning to the Matrix, that she's not involved with the new film as she's busy working on her new series, but she's excited to hear what it is about and hopes it's even better than the original. https://www.slashfilm.com/new-matrix...lly-wachowski/

Today, Lilly Wachowski confirmed she was committed to Work in Progress and wouldn't have time to jack back into The Matrix.

"Well, I'm a little busy at the moment," she told /Film.

"I like it when stories go out into the world and then come back to you in different ways," Wachowski said. "I mean, that's what storytelling is all about. I'm part of a bigger thing. I don't have any ownership over stuff like that, so whatever story anybody wants to tell, I can't wait to hear. I hope it's better than the original."

She also said (again, shortly before the movie was announced) that currently she has no interest in working in scifi stories, because she's at a point in her life who wants to be overt about the issues she wants to cover in her work, and not use subtext.

https://decider.com/2019/08/21/the-m...lly-wachowski/

"My agent kept sending me stuff, and a lot of science fiction. Great. It's good stuff, science fiction. You get to talk a lot about a lot of subjects. There's always fabulous subtext in science fiction," Wachowski explained. "Since my transition, I'm not really interested in subtext at this time."

Her agent then sent Wachowski McEnany's show, and she quickly signed on. "The show is so unusual because whenever you put on a trans person or a queer person in a role like this, it is a revolutionary act, because you don't see characters like this on TV, really. It just doesn't happen," Wachowski said. "I am just, like, 'Oh, my God, this is really a once in a lifetime opportunity to get involved in something like this.' And to be an executive producer, I don't have to do anything. I'm like, 'Yeah. I'll do that gig. That sounds great.'"

When asked what it's been like dealing with a project as frank as Work in Progress as opposed to the subtext of science fiction, Wachowski said it was "super freeing." "I'm really enjoying writing with this group of people, who are absolutely wonderful and super-duper funny, and being able to engage in this dialogue about queerness and transness and all of these issues, like fat phobia and ageism and all of the and mental illness. It's all super important to get these messages out there. And so yeah, it was, like, 'I'm in. Where do I sign?'" Wachowski said.

I can respect that, rather than have her write for something she's not feeling and try to change it into something else.

[Ubik]

VERY true. They better move quick because Keanu's fire won't last long. LOL

WHAT? Aren't you aware Keanu is an ETERNAL BEING?!?

[Looney]

Very surprised that Hollywood is willing to take a chance on the Ws again after Jupiter Ascending. However, Keanu is on fire right now and can do no wrong. I hope they have a worthwhile story to tell.It's cool that Mitchel and Hemon are on board.

VERY true. They better move quick because Keanu's fire won't last long. LOL

[Ubik]

Very surprised that Hollywood is willing to take a chance on the Ws again after Jupiter Ascending. However, Keanu is on fire right now and can do no wrong. I hope they have a worthwhile story to tell.It's cool that Mitchel and Hemon are on board.

[sense8ional]

Now we are talking!

Zak Penn off the project, Lana has come on board.

Lana co-writing with Sense8 writers David Mitchel (Cloud Atlas novel) and Alexander Hemon along with directing and producing.
Both Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss reprising their roles!

https://variety.com/2019/film/news/matrix-4-keanu-reeves-carrie-anne-moss-lana-wachowski-1203307955/

"Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now. I'm very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends," Wachowski said.