If it wasn't for Morpheus locating Neo (The One) in the first place, there wouldn't have been a story at all. What's worse is that it seems Fishburne's exclusion from the film wasn't unavoidable. The actor said in 2020 that he had “not been invited” to reprise his role (via New York Magazine).
Both Morpheus and Smith had been incredibly important to Neo's journey, and the memories Neo had of them were now being uploaded into this new program. Essentially, Morpheus was never recast for Resurrections – Yahya Abdul-Mateen II played an entirely different character.
Laurence Fishburne, who played Morpheus in the original “Matrix” trilogy, did not return to the franchise for “Resurrections.” Morpheus is long dead during the events of the sequel, but an artificial intelligence based off of the leader (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) does play a major role in the story.
Why is Laurence Fishburne not in the new Matrix movie?
"I have not been invited," Fishburne said while discussing The Matrix Resurrections in a New York magazine story in August 2020, adding, "I wish them well. I hope it's great."
Indeed, celebrated names were taken in consideration, and Russell Crowe was at the top. Surprisingly, Crowe turned down the role for better opportunities — A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, and The Insider — which undoubtedly turned out for the best for him.
Laurence Fishburne: People Think I’m Morpheus | CONAN on TBS
Who turned down the role of Morpheus?
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.
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.
In this case, Resurrections was available on HBO Max. This inadvertently encouraged some audience members to watch the new film in the comfort of their own homes rather than at the movie theaters, consequently hurting The Matrix 4's box office success.
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.
As Weaving told Collider in 2020, when it came time to make The Matrix Resurrections, director and co-writer Lana Wachowski very much wanted him to return as Agent Smith. After an initial bit of hesitation, Weaving agreed to do just that. However, the actor was busy doing a stage play at the time.
In order to prevent the entire system from crashing, the machines must periodically destroy Zion and "The One" must reboot the Matrix and choose a group of people to rebuild the city. Neo discovers that this cycle has occurred five times in the past and is about to complete its sixth repetition.
In the Matrix, Cypher can have anything he wants — juicy steak, expensive wine, a rare cigar. Even though it's not real, the Matrix offers creature comforts and peace of mind. As Cypher tells Agent Smith, "Ignorance is bliss." Cypher's desire for a rich life is one of the major factors in his betrayal of Morpheus.
This Morpheus (played by Abdul Mateen II) is actually a program that Thomas/Neo created out of his subconscious for his popular video game, both new and old; new in that he isn't a human being but a manmade code, and old in that he's a curious amalgamation of the real Morpheus (Fishburne) and Smith (Weaving).
Fishburne, who played Morpheus in the original trilogy opposite Reeves, 58, and Moss, 55, previously spoke to New York Magazine and said he had "not been invited" to reprise his role. "I have not been invited," he told the publication in August 2020. "Maybe that will make me write another play.
Parents need to know that The Matrix Resurrections is the long-awaited (but underwhelming) fourth Matrix movie, the first since 2003's The Matrix Revolutions. Expect effects-heavy action violence, including lots of guns and shooting; fighting, kicking, and punching; bloody wounds (a throat…
Warner Bros. announced Wednesday the fifth installment of its flagship cyberpunk movie franchise “The Matrix” is in development, years after the last movie in the franchise, “The Matrix Resurrections” released to mixed reviews and poor numbers at the box office.
Following the release of Resurrections, producer James McTeigue said that there were no plans for further Matrix films, though he believed that the film's open ending meant that could change in the future.
Due to not being impressed by the pitch, along with the fact that he didn't just want to star in more sci-fi films featuring aliens like Independence Day and Men in Black, he passed on Neo and The Matrix to instead star in Wild Wild West. Smith admits he isn't proud of the latter, especially due to its campiness.
At the same time, Smith develops an animosity towards the Matrix itself, feeling that he is as much a prisoner of it as the humans he is tasked with controlling. He later develops an immense and increasingly open desire for the destruction of both mankind and machines.
The actor told New York Magazine that he “has not been invited” to reprise his iconic role in Lana Wachowski's “The Matrix” sequel. “I have not been invited. Maybe that will make me write another play.
And just to drive home the fact that very few actors seemed to any faith in The Matrix, Will Smith also turned down the starring role. In 2019, Smith confirmed a long-standing rumour that he rejected the Neo part in favour of a far less adored movie.
Who turned down 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.
