The Matrix (Reboot @ Warner Bros.)

More Matrix? Bet on it.

It’s still not clear what shape the project will take, but sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Warner Bros. is in the early stages of developing a relaunch of The Matrix, the iconic 1999 sci-fi movie that is considered one of the most original films in cinematic history, with Zak Penn in talks to write a treatment.

Sources say there is potential interest in Michael B. Jordan to star, but much must be done before the project is ready to go.

At this point, the Wachowski siblings, who wrote and directed the original and its two sequels, are not involved and the nature of their potential engagement with a new version has not been determined. Certainly, Warners would want the two filmmakers to give at minimum a blessing to the nascent project. The studio had no comment.

Joel Silver, who produced the original trilogy, is said to have approached Warners about the idea of mining The Matrix for a potential new film. However, Silver sold his interest in all his movies to the studio in 2012 for about $30 million, according to sources. Warners is said to be leery of including him in any meaningful role, as he not only has a reputation for budget-control issues, but apparently has a strained relationship with the Wachowskis. The siblings hold much more meaning for fans than the producer. Silver's reps did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Written and directed by the Wachowskis, the original movie sees humanity living in a simulated reality, unaware that humans are in pods in which their bodies are being harvested for energy. A computer programmer named Neo (Keanu Reeves) slowly becomes aware of this suppressed existence, eventually becoming humanity’s one true hope (Neo = One) to overthrow the oppressors. The pic also starred Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving.

The Matrix was released in a quiet period of the 1999 release calendar — March 31 — and Warner Bros. didn’t have outsized expectations for an action movie with obvious Manga and comic-book influences. But the story and ground-breaking special effects (including the slow-motion "bullet time" effect, which launched dozens of imitators in the years that followed) became the highest grossing R-rated film of 1999 in North America, and the fourth-highest grossing film of the year worldwide. It also won four Academy Awards.

Two sequels, Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, were not as well received, but Reeves’ deal for those films made him one of the richest actors in Hollywood.

While promoting John Wick: Chapter 2, Reeves said he would be open to returning for another installment of the franchise if the Wachowskis were involved. "They would have to write it and direct it. And then we’d see what the story is, but yeah, I dunno, that’d be weird, but why not?” he told Yahoo Movies. However, it is likely that Warners will look elsewhere to attract an A-list director and star.

While some at Warners consider the title among the studio’s sacrosanct properties, such as Casablanca, others see a need to redevelop it in an environment where studios are desperately looking for ways to monetize their libraries and branded IP is hard to come by.

The idea of adapting The Matrix as a television series was nixed in recent months. But Warner Bros. sees a model in what Disney and Lucasfilm have done with Star Wars, exploring the hidden corners of the universe with movies such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story or the in-production young Han Solo film. Perhaps a young Morpheus movie could come out of the exploration, as an example.

Penn is a writer with deep roots in the geeky genres in which Matrix travels. He created the Syfy network’s super-powered show Alphas and has been involved in comic book movies ranging from the X-Men franchise to The Avengers.

UltimateMarvel wrote:I would prefer a continuation instead of a reboot. The idea of life after Neo is more interesting to me.

Rusty Cunt wrote:

UltimateMarvel wrote:I would prefer a continuation instead of a reboot. The idea of life after Neo is more interesting to me.

The idea of no more Matrix movies is interesting to me.

The entertainment news that’s had the internet all aflutter this week came on Tuesday, when word broke that Warner Bros. is in the early stages of developing a reboot of the classic 1999 sci-fi actioner The Matrix. Reboots happen all the time, but The Matrix is a curious case because the original film was so groundbreaking and spawned a franchise of its own. People have strong feelings about this, and while THR’s original report did indeed say this was a reboot WB was working on, they also noted the possibility of telling Rogue One-type stories, like a prequel Morpheus movie.

Now Zak Penn, the screenwriter reported to be in negotiations to pen the treatment for the so-called reboot, has spoken up on Twitter, and while he obviously can’t say much, he does seem to strike down the notion that this Matrix movie is a genuine reboot:

   All I can say at this point is no one could or should REBOOT the Matrix. People who know Animatrix and the comics understand.

   — Zak Penn (@zakpenn) March 15, 2017

   Can’t comment yet except to say that the words “reboot” and “remake” were from an article. Let’s stop responding to inaccurate news.

   — Zak Penn (@zakpenn) March 17, 2017

   If I were going to recast Keanu Reeves, I would cast Keanu Reeves.

   — Zak Penn (@zakpenn) March 17, 2017

   Do I want to see more stories set in the universe of the matrix? Yes. Because it’s a brilliant idea that generates great stories.

   — Zak Penn (@zakpenn) March 17, 2017

   Look at what people are doing with Xmen universe. Between Logan and Legion and Deadpool, does anyone want them to stop? Not me.

   — Zak Penn (@zakpenn) March 17, 2017

Rusty Cunt wrote:The idea of no more Matrix movies is interesting to me.

Tyger wrote:That's what I would find most interesting too, except of course less Matrix movies.

kernel_thai wrote:I thought the Matrix was perfect and the only way they could fuck it up was try and improve upon it.  And they did...twice.  I see no reason to continue fucking it up.  Now this doesn't mean that u couldn't write a good script in the Matrix universe and make a decent movie out of it...u could...but there is no reason to try.  Instead of reboots and sequels, show a little creativity and do something original.

ForeverBlu wrote:I enjoyed Matrix  Reloaded, hated the third film.

What pile of shit that was.

WyldeMan wrote:

ForeverBlu wrote:I enjoyed Matrix  Reloaded, hated the third film.

What pile of shit that was.

Which one had a hundred Agent Hugho Weaving's kung fu fighting?

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:

ForeverBlu wrote:I enjoyed Matrix  Reloaded, hated the third film.

What pile of shit that was.

Which one had a hundred Agent Hugho Weaving's kung fu fighting?

That would be Reloaded. What's the matter? You didn't like that scene? It was great, especially for it's time. Back then it was the shit!!! CGI could have been a lot better now of course.

WyldeMan wrote:

LOVED the first Matrix, watched it probably 30 times but the sequels? ONCE and NEVER again.

Rusty Cunt wrote:Same. I don't remember anything from the last 2, and I'm not sure I even finished the 3rd one. That's how much of an impression they left.