Rumour: The Wachowskis are making a new Matrix trilogy

There’s a rumour that has surfaced this weekend that will have you running up walls in excitement if it turns out to be true. Its seems that we may be jacking back in to the Matrix in a couple years time, as a brand new trilogy is apparently being planned.

In the immortal words of Keanu Reeves: Whoa! 

 

According to the grape vine connoisseurs over at Latino Review, filmmaking siblings Andy & Lana Wachowski are looking to resurrect their fan favourite franchise with what could possibly be a new prequel trilogy based in their neon green world. They’ve apparently already written outlines for a new trilogy and turned them in to Warner Bros. These outlines will apparently tell a new origin story for the world of the Matrix, with the story already told in The Animatrix to be tossed out in favour of this new tale.

In the ending of The Matrix Revolutions the Architect (vis a vis, concordantly) revealed to Keanu Reeves’ Neo that he wasn’t the first “One”, and it’s thought that this new prequel could perhaps be dealing with that original techno-messiah.

Now when the Wachowski’s first introduced the world to The Matrix in 1999, it ended up being a game changer. Not only did plenty of films/music videos/video games copy its visual techniques, but we all suddenly started believing that middle-aged Americans really could all do kung fu and people no longer thought you were a rapist when you walked around in bright sunlight in a leather jacket and dark glasses. The film’s two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and the aforementioned The Matrix Revolutions, may not have been as well received as the original classic, but they still found their place in an insanely popular franchise. A franchise that also spawned several spinofffs and merchandising opportunities.

And that’s rather important as that’s something that Warner Bros will soon be in desperate need of as their current biggest cash cow, The Hobbit, will be wrapping later this year, and all the DC comics stuff is still just a giant question mark with a cape on, meaning that the studio doesn’t have any surefire titles to throw against all the Marvel movies and the new Star Wars flicks. A new Matrix trilogy could be just what the doctor – and by doctor, I mean bean counting studio execs – ordered, with the studio apparently pushing for a 2017 release date.

The Wachowski’s may also be doing this for more than just creative reasons, as they haven’t had a major box office hit since they had Neo beat up a gajillion Agent Smiths. Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas (both of which I actually loved) bombed at the box office, and while Jupiter Ascending looks like quite the space opera, it’s uncertain how general audiences will respond to an albino Channing Tatum with Spock ears hunting down that girl from That 70’s Show. So a new Matrix trilogy, which is sure to attract quite an audience, could be just what they need to up their Hollywood stock once again.

Whatever the reasoning behind this, I’m finding myself experience a mixture of excitement and dread. There’s tons of potential there to make a kick-ass new trilogy, but remembering just how much the Wachowski’s dropped the ball on Revolutions leaves me a bit apprehensive.

What do you guys think? Should they make a new trilogy (and should it be a prequel or rather something new), or should they just leave the Matrix completely unplugged?

Last Updated: March 3, 2014