The Big Picture Brad Pitt passed on playing Neo in The Matrix, opting for Fight Club instead. Will Smith also turned down the role, admitting he would have "messed it up." Despite stars passing on The Matrix, Keanu Reeves's performance as Neo remains iconic.
Who was originally offered the role of Neo in the Matrix?
The very first name pitched for the role of Neo was Nicolas Cage. But Cage being the family man that he is, quickly turned down the role in the Matrix franchise because he wasn't ready to stay away from his family for an extended production schedule.
Nicholas Cage also turned down the role due to family obligations, and Val Kilmer, one of the producers' top picks, turned down both the role of Neo and Fishburne's Morpheus. Instead, he worked on the poorly received At First Sight. Interestingly, Sandra Bullock was also considered for the role, with Warner Bros.
Hong Kong star Chow Yun-Fat turned down the role of Morpheus. Other actors considered for Morpheus included Samuel L. Jackson and Gary Oldman. Considering how perfectly Laurence Fishburne fit the part, everything worked out for the best.
Besides the role of the Architect, Sean Connery was offered the role of Morpheus. He turned it down because he couldn't understand the material, and the role eventually went to Laurence Fishburne.
Neo wasn't chosen. He was the result of a systemic anomaly. Normally, other anomalies in the past never fell in love with anyone. Hence they chose to pick 23 people from Zion to restart.
Keanu Reeves was the filmmakers' second choice, as the role was initially also offered to stars like Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Nic Cage, Val Kilmer, and Brad Pitt, and the majority turned it down because they didn't understand the script. But it wasn't the reason for Depp.
While only making $10 million in salary for The Matrix, he ended up making $35 million due to the film's overwhelming box office performance. Reeves' salary for each movie was: $10 million for The Matrix. $15 million for The Matrix Reloaded.
During The Matrix in 1999, Reeves was 35 years old, only a couple of years older than Agent Smith's file suggested. In 2003's The Matrix: Reloaded and The Matrix: Revolutions, Reeves was 39, aging as many years as Neo did.
After Smith, they landed on Sandra Bullock, who told Today in 2009 that she turned down an offer to work on the movie. “It was pretty simple. We sent her the script to see if she was interested in it. And if she was interested in it we would try to make the change,” di Bonaventura said.
Bullock went on to have her own success after turning down “The Matrix,” landing the lead role in the comedy “Miss Congeniality.” The casting kept Bullock in the Warner Bros.
Morpheus died in The Matrix Online, a game that is part of the “Matrix Expanded Universe” and is considered Matrix canon. Therefore, Morpheus' death could not be ignored in The Matrix Resurrections. As for Agent Smith, Hugo Weaving could not return for The Matrix Resurrections due to scheduling conflicts.
Because, Laurence Fishburne refused to take part in the film. In the storyline, there were reboots and changes. Every generation of Matrix and its characters always goes through changes. The actor Laurence Fishburne stated that the preparation and training for the role of Morpheus was grueling and exhausting.
The actor said in 2020 that he had “not been invited” to reprise his role (via New York Magazine). The Matrix: Resurrection's story ultimately made sense of the surprising decision to recast Morpheus, but that doesn't necessarily mean leaving out Fishburne was the right move for the film.
Warner Bros. has officially confirmed the development of "Matrix 5," marking a significant return to the iconic sci-fi franchise. This upcoming installment will be the first without the directing duo, Lana and Lily Wachowski, who have been instrumental in shaping the series since its inception.
The filming for the iconic science fiction movie, The Matrix, helped to establish New South Wales in Australia as a major film production center. Most scenes were shot at Fox Studios in Sydney and around the city, though recognizable landmarks were omitted to maintain a generic American city appeal.
Who was offered the role of Trinity in the Matrix?
Both Jackson and Union-Wade failed to get the role, allowing Salma Hayek, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Sandra Bullock an opportunity to star as the movie's female lead. However, the role of Trinity eventually went to Carrie Ann-Moss, who gave an iconic performance as Neo's protector and love interest.
Overview. Smith began as an Agent, an AI program in the Matrix programmed to keep order within the system by terminating human simulacra that would bring instability to the simulated reality, as well as any rogue programs that no longer serve a purpose to the Machine collective.
