Pull out your black nylon trench coat and don those tinier than tiny sunnies that you’ve been keeping in the cupboard since last summer, because we’re re-entering The Matrix. That’s right: red pills at the ready because a fourth chapter of the sci-fi franchise has officially been confirmed, with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprising their roles of Neo and Trinity.
Lana Wachowski, who created the franchise with her sister Lilly, will be directing the film, and co-writing the script with sci-fi novelists Aleksander Hemon and David Mitchell. “Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now,” said Wachowski in a statement. “I’m very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends.”
This year marks 20 years since the release of the original Matrix, which tells the story of a hacker, Neo (Reeves), who discovers that humans are trapped inside a simulated reality controlled by artificial beings. A surprise hit, the movie made $460 million worldwide, prompting the release of two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
Earlier this year, Lilly Wachowski spoke to Slash Film about a fourth chapter, saying: “I like it when stories go out into the world and then come back to you in different ways. I mean, that’s what storytelling is all about. I’m part of a bigger thing. I don’t have any ownership over stuff like that, so whatever story anybody wants to tell, I can’t wait to hear. I hope it’s better than the original.”
With the film’s production due to start in 2020, we could be in for a long wait. But in the meantime, watch this iconic clip from the original film, below.