MOVIE NEWS – Laurence Fishburne expressed interest in reprising his role in The Matrix Resurrections, but his offer was turned down. Oddly enough, a long-defunct MMO may have played a role in that decision.

Whether you loved or hated the story or action scenes in The Matrix Resurrections, seeing Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss return as Neo and Trinity was undeniably exciting. Their presence added nostalgia and star power—but it also highlighted a glaring absence: Morpheus. So why didn’t Laurence Fishburne return? Was it his choice? Not at all. In fact, he tried.

Fishburne, who originally played Morpheus in the trilogy, confirmed that he offered to reprise the role. Unfortunately, the filmmakers weren’t receptive. Instead, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was cast as a reimagined version of the character. When asked about the possibility of returning to the franchise, Fishburne shared his side of the story.

“That would depend on the circumstances—who’s involved, how good the script is, and if there’s even a role for me. (…) For Matrix 4, I did offer my services, but the response wasn’t great. It’s not like I didn’t try. I reached out, but for whatever reason, it didn’t work out. That’s just the truth.” – Fishburne, via The View

We already knew he wasn’t invited back, but now it’s clear he made the first move. Why Lana Wachowski didn’t accept remains a mystery. However, as Gamestar points out, it may have something to do with the now-defunct MMO The Matrix Online. In that game, Morpheus was assassinated by a machine-designed masked figure while on a suicide mission. Although fans debate whether this is canon, Resurrections only mentions that the new Morpheus is a digital construct—without much elaboration.

Fishburne Didn’t Hold Back on Matrix 4

A few months after the film hit theaters, Fishburne gave his honest opinion: “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but it wasn’t as good as I expected.” Still, he praised Reeves and Moss for their performances. Whether he’ll return in Matrix 5 is unknown—but in the meantime, you can catch him alongside Casey Affleck in the sci-fi film Destination Titan, now available on digital platforms.

Matrix 5 has been in development for months, but this time the Wachowski Sisters are not directly involved. The project is now led by Drew Goddard, known for his work on Cloverfield and World War Z.

Source: 3djuegos