Warner Brothers is looking at a new Matrix film, and the latest news is that it will not be a reboot of the original from 1999, contrary to previous claims. However, the question that's still on everyone's mind is: Will Keanu Reeves reprise his role as Neo? Will Neo be part of the new film at all?
Contrary to popular belief, the climax of The Matrix Revolutions was quite open-ended, leaving enough space for Neo's and Reeves' return if the makers want it. Here are some likely scenarios:
* Neo does not return: Neo — the hacker within the Matrix who turned out to be the Chosen One in the real world — has been sort of the heart and soul of the trilogy so far. And even then, fans have loved the original more than the two sequels, because the 1999 release not only redefined action cinema with techniques like Bullet Time, but also presented a fresh idea. The latter films failed to flesh out that idea to the liking of fans.
For the new Matrix to work without Neo, the Wachowski siblings need to be brought back on board and given enough creative liberty to ensure that the new offering has something for fans as well as first-timers to look forward to. Maybe something from a new iteration of the Matrix, with Sati at the centre. Enough time has passed for that little girl to grow into the shoes of a worthy heroine.
* Neo returns, but Keanu Reeves does not: In effect, we get a Neo who does not look anything like his original self in the trilogy. Now, this has happened before in the films: Gloria Foster played the Oracle in the first two films, while Mary Alice played the role in the third, but that was only because Foster died before the filming of the third instalment began. So, the chances of a new face for Neo are slim unless we are looking at a prequel.
But the bigger question here is on Neo's return, and the answer lies in the open-ended climax of The Matrix Revolutions. For starters, when Agent Smith converts Neo to a version of himself within the Matrix and the machines then destroy every version of Agent Smith, look closely and you will see Neo in the machine world being surrounded by an aura that forms a cross, making him resemble Jesus Christ. Even otherwise, there are many references that he is the Messiah for mankind on Earth. And as we know, Jesus was resurrected.
The second hint at Neo returning is much more blatant. At the end of the film, the Oracle tells Sati they will see Neo again. And finally, Neo's body was carried away by the machines, but nowhere was it shown that he had actually died. So, the door is open for Neo's return.
* Both Neo and Keanu Reeves return: This should be an obvious choice, along with the return of the Wachowski siblings. Back in 2011, Reeves had said after a meeting with the Wachowskis that Matrix 4 and 5 were in the works. Although they never came, it was clear that the Wachowskis had plans, and Reeves was on board. What's more, Reeves still seems to be in good shape for some action, as is evident from the John Wick films.
Also, it would make the best business sense for Warner Brothers to bring the trio back in their original roles, because that is what the fandom wants and that is what will rake in the moolah when the film releases. And the rewards will be even higher if fans get what they were originally expecting from The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
