Summary

• The Matrix 5 announcement divides fans amid concerns about new director Drew Goddard.
• The Wachowskis' absence in The Matrix 5 challenges the franchise's legacy.
• Goddard, known for sci-fi films, may helm Matrix 5, but its success remains uncertain.

The Matrix 5 announcement prompts a divided response from fans and even leads some to defend The Matrix Resurrections. The original trilogy – which consisted of The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions – was written and directed by the Wachowskis and released from 1999 to 2003, while the legacy sequel The Matrix Resurrections was directed solely by Lana Wachowski and released in 2021. It was recently announced that a fifth film is moving forward without the Wachowskis and with Drew Goddard, known for writing World War Z and The Martian, taking over as director.

Shortly after The Matrix 5 confirmation courtesy of Warner Bros., fans took to social media to share their reactions to the announcement. Overall, fans are divided on a Matrix movie being made without the Wachowskis, which has even led some to reevaluate Resurrections. Check a few of the reactions below:

Scott Mendelson says, "If audiences wanted another Matrix movie, they would have shown up to Matrix Resurrections. They barely showed up, relatively speaking, to Matrix Revolutions 20.5 years ago. Not every once-successful film(s) is an endlessly exploitable IP."

Jordan Woodson says, "Making a Matrix 5, especially one without either of the Wachowskis writing/directing, goes against the entire message of Resurrections."

@TheRealMattC reluctantly approves of The Matrix 5 without the Wachowskis and letting "other directors play in the sandbox," mentioning how George Lucas "handed off" The Empire Strikes Back to director Irvin Kershner and Return of the Jedi to Richard Marquand, "and they were great."

Ben Travis is "deeply conflicted" about The Matrix 5 without the Wachowskis, saying that "Drew is a great director. But The Matrix is the Wachowskis; the Wachowskis *are* The Matrix. And the things that made The Matrix Resurrections so thrilling are the things that literally only a Wachowski would choose to do..."

@0liviaolive says, "They accidentally chose the writer of The Martian," referring to Goddard, but "they mean to hire the director. Ridley Scott's Matrix 5 is the only acceptable non-Wachowski version."

@MrGlinis says, "I'm so confused. it feels like just a couple years ago, when Matrix 4 came out, everyone was super psyched for it. they announce Matrix 5 and suddenly everyone has turned on the franchise?? did i miss something? was Matrix 4 really that bad? i mean it was bad but not thaat bad."

@miscrave is "sad to see Wachowski's gone," but is "excited for Matrix 5. I liked 4. I don't necessarily want Neo back but the new cast could return. Or it can take place during a different period. All is ok."

@mrcjprice193 is "cautiously looking forward to it," saying, "The matrix trilogy are literally some of my all time favorite movies... A matrix 5 not done by any of the wachowskis has me a bit scared but I do like Drew Goddard."

Why The Matrix 5 Is Moving Forward Without The Wachowskis

The original Matrix movie was much more than a massive critical and commercial success, it was a seminal piece of cyberpunk media. Its visual style was unique and innovative, with the Wachowskis drawing inspiration from anime and martial arts films, while also integrating techniques from Hong Kong action cinema such as wire fu. Today, The Matrix is widely regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made.

However, despite its immense cultural standing, attempts to make sequels to The Matrix have largely failed. Filmed back to back and released within six months of each other, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were also box office successes, though Revolutions was received poorly and deemed a disappointing conclusion to the trilogy. The Matrix Resurrections reviews were also mixed, and to make matters worse, the latest sequel disappointed at the box office.

While the Wachowskis will always be recognized for creating one of the best sci-fi films of all time, they have largely been unable to deliver truly satisfying sequels, so it makes sense for Warner Bros. to turn elsewhere. Goddard is the mind behind sci-fi films like Cloverfield, The Cabin in the Woods, and The Martian, and it's said that he approached Warner Bros. with an incredible new idea that will continue the world of The Matrix while still honoring what the Wachowskis started. However, whether The Matrix 5 actually accomplishes this remains to be seen.

The Matrix movies are streaming on Max.

Source: Various (see links above)