Will There Be Another Matrix After Resurrections?

When Warner Bros. announced "The Matrix Resurrections" is 2019, it came as somewhat of a surprise. While rumors of a fourth "Matrix" film have persisted since "The Matrix Revolutions" was released in 2003, creatives attached to the franchise remained adamant that the franchise had likely run its course. According to a 2003 article written by games journalist Geoff Keighly for Entertainment Weekly, "Matrix" producer Joel Silver reinforced the fact that a fourth film "will never happen." Likewise, Ubisoft general manager Jason Rubenstein maintained that the company's game, "The Matrix Online," was officially meant to serve as a continuation of the series after "Revolutions."

Obviously, all of that has changed now as "The Matrix Resurrections" swiftly approaches its December 22 release date. Now that a fourth film has been confirmed, filmed, and set for release in theaters and on HBO Max, it's only natural to wonder if there be another movie in "The Matrix" franchise. After all, the return of Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), and a slew of new characters played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, and Neil Patrick Harris (to name a few) affords the potential of a brand new saga in "The Matrix" universe.

While Warner Bros. has yet to officially announce "The Matrix 5" is happening, the studio's CEO, Ann Sarnoff, has gone on record saying that another sequel is a possibility. But there's a catch: Original trilogy co-director and "The Matrix Resurrections" writer-director Lana Wachowski will have to be on board to make it. "Anytime Lana wants to make a movie, we're all in," Sarnoff told Deadline in October. So far, Wachowski has not expressed any intention of making a fifth movie in the series.

If "The Matrix 5" does get a green light, it is still unclear what the new installment would even be about. Though Neo appears to be returning to the Matrix in the upcoming "Resurrections," what he does in the simulated reality and how that will affect the larger "Matrix" universe is a mystery that has yet to be solved. For all anyone knows, "The Matrix Resurrections" could be the definitive end to the franchise. Although, to be fair, "The Matrix Revolutions" also seemed like a proper conclusion following its release in 2003. Only time will tell if fans will be gifted the start of a new phase in the sci-fi franchise or simply a retread of a familiar story.