The Matrix 4: Laurence Fishburne Gives Honest Answer About Returning As Morpheus

Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix

Given the power of nostalgia in the entertainment industry, seemingly any brand could return for a sequel or reboot. Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix 4 is one of these projects, with fans eager to jack back into the beloved science fiction franchise. Keanu Reeves will be returning alongside Carrie-Anne Moss and a few other familiar faces, but there’s one beloved character that seemingly won’t appear: Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus. And now the Emmy and Tony winning actor has offered an honest answer for fans questioning Morpheus’ possible return.

Not much is known about The Matrix 4, but Lana Wachowski assembled a killer cast of returning actors and newcomers. But while Neo and Trinity will somehow return thanks to Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, the holy Matrix trilogy won’t be completed with Morpheus. Laurence Fishburne was recently asked about his possible return to The Matrix, saying:

I’m not involved. You’ll have to talk to Lana Wachowski...The only thing I can tell you is that Lana Wachowski can answer those questions for you better than I can.

Well, there you have it. While some Matrix fans will hold out hope that Laurence Fishburne might appear sometime in the mysterious runtime of the fourth movie, the actor himself maintains he’s not involved. And when asked why Morpheus wasn’t included, he encouraged folks to ask Lana Wachowski herself about her creative process.

Laurence Fishburne’s comments come from a recent interview the 59 year-old had with ReelBlend co-host Jake Hamilton. While speaking about his new movie The Ice Road, eventually the conversation shifted to his role in The Matrix 4, or lack thereof. Unfortunately for fans of the beloved property, it seems like Fishburne truly isn’t going to show up in the mysterious new blockbuster.

It’s hard to imagine The Matrix without Laurence Fisburne’s signature character Morpheus along for the ride. And as Jake Hamilton pointed out in his interview with the legend, this is all the more curious since Morpheus actually survived the events of The Matrix Revolutions. Neo and Trinity both perished, yet they’re set to appear in the mysterious fourth movie.

Production on The Matrix 4 was underway when sets around the world were shut down due to the pandemic. Lana Wachowski’s mysterious vision included some wild car stunts and massive explosions while filming in San Francisco. Ultimately the set was moved abroad to complete the blockbuster in time for its intended release.

While Laurence Fisburne is seemingly not involved, there are a number of returning faces appearing in The Matrix 4. Aside from Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, the upcoming movie will also include Jada Pinkett Smith, Lambert Wilson, and Daniel Bernhardt reprising their roles from the original Matrix trilogy. Lana Wachowski found some stellar actors to help flesh out the cast including Neil Patrick Harris, Hamilton’s Jonathan Groff, Cristina Ricci, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Priyanka Chopra. Plus a number of cast members from Sense8 will appear as well.

The Matrix 4 is currently set to arrive in theaters on December 22nd, so a trailer should be coming shortly. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.