Even though Warner Bros. almost made The Matrix franchise was released, most fans may have assumed that the series was over after The Matrix Revolutions hit the big screen in 2003. However, despite the delay and rumored plan to replace the Wachowski's at the helm of the saga, the decision to retain Lana is ultimately a key ingredient in the movie's successful journey to the big screen.
Lana Wachowski's fourth installment The Matrix brings viewers back to Neo's (Keanu Reeves) story, though it's set 60 years in the future. Neo is now a successful video game developer named Thomas Anderson, who sometimes has a hard time separating his dreams from reality. After Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) is taken captive, Neo is freed from an altered Matrix by a programmed Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and a group of rebels. Neo goes off on a mission with Bugs (Jessica Henwick) to try and free Trinity, and stop Smith (Jonathan Groff) for good.
While it would've been great to have both sisters come back to make The Matrix Resurrections, having at least Lana on board was the right decision. Since The Matrix Revolutions, the Jupiter Ascending. The sci-fi genre remains their area of strength and like most sci-fi movies their films contain a sociocultural message. Similarly, The Matrix isn't just a cool story about Neo escaping an altered reality. In order to get the film's true message across, Lana Wachowski absolutely had to be a part of it – both due to her ability to convey rich multi-faceted stories and her understanding of the wider Matrix universe.
Warner Bros Wanted To Make The Matrix 4 No Matter What
Given that the first Matrix movie alone made $466.6 million at the box office, Warner Bros. didn't want to up on such a fiscally successful franchise. During continuing The Matrix franchise even after she and her sister repeatedly said "no". "Every year, Warner Bros. would ask us to make another one, and every year, they would drive truckloads of money up to our house and say, ‘You could have this!’ And we said, ‘No, no, no — not interested, not interested, not interested.’" Lana stated. Warner Bros. decided that the series would go on whether or not the Wachowski sisters were involved. Thankfully, Lana's script was chosen over Zak Penn's as he initially wanted to set the new story up as a prequel.
The Matrix Is Tied To The Wachowskis' Identity
In a way, The Matrix series chronicles what the Wachowski sisters have gone through on their own identity journies. Lana publicly revealed her transition in 2008 after the release of The Cloud Atlas director made her first public appearance after transitioning in 2012, in a video talking about the creative process behind the film. That same year Lana Wachowski won The Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award. Considering that The Matrix is about fighting a false reality, a lot of parallels can be drawn to those struggling with their gender identity. In order for Neo to be free from the Matrix, he must break out of his unenlightened state and see that he's been programmed by a society that doesn't care about him at a human level. The same can be said about the process of exploring one's gender identity. Lana had to go through an unimaginable struggle just to be herself, and the series is tied to her identity in that way.
Why The Matrix 4 Would Never Work Without The Wachowskis
The Matrix Resurrections keeps with the previous themes explored in the trilogy, and that's because Lana Wachowski is at the helm. While several original Matrix characters don't return for the fourth installment, Resurrections manages to stay true to the series. If it were to have been taken over by another director the films would've become more about the universe of the franchise itself and less about the message. The dysphoria and depersonalization that the characters experience is only made so poignant because of what the Wachowski sisters have personally gone through. While the franchise isn't outright a trans story, it's often true that an artist's creation is a reflection of the artist themselves.
Another reason The Matrix Resurrections would not have worked without the Wachowski sisters' involvement is based on the plans that Warner Bros. initially made for the franchise. As previously stated, Zak Penn planned to have the 4th film set before the original trilogy. Given his background in the The Matrix Resurrections that tie back to some of those works. Other focuses for the movie were discussed, such as Morpheus' origin story, expanding the overall The Matrix universe, and casting Michael B. Jordan in a role. Thankfully these ideas were pushed aside when Lana Wachowski came back to the project.
What The Matrix 4 Says About WB's Attempt To Make More Matrix Movies
The general consensus among viewers, and the original creators of the films, was that there wouldn't be another The Matrix movie after Revolutions. Warner Bros.'s insistent behavior makes it apparent that they didn't really care about the film's message, or what the movies meant to the Wachowski sisters. If they had it their way, The Matrix Resurrections would've probably had a whole new big-budget look and a new cast. However, since audience have been made wise about the Wachowski sisters and their struggles, this would not have gone over well. The real Neo and the Matrix Neo feature probably never would have made it into the movie without Lana Wachowski's influence.
The whole debacle doesn't paint the Warner Bros. studio in a favorable light. During the same The Art of Scriptwriting Livestream, Lana Wachowski revealed the real reason she decided to come back for the fourth movie. She experienced a string of personal losses, both of her parents and a family friend tragically ed away. Wachowski found comfort in her characters during this time. She states, "Suddenly, my brain exploded this whole story and I couldn’t have my mom and dad. I couldn’t talk to my mom and yet, suddenly, I had Neo and Trinity — arguably the two most important characters in my life — and it was immediately comforting to have these two characters alive again." Warner Bros.' The Matrix franchise is incredibly lucky that one of the sisters returned to make The Matrix Resurrections. Without her, the meaning behind the films would've been completely lost.
After The Matrix Resurrections came out, Lana Wachowski has made it clear that she doesn't plan on continuing the franchise. That being said, the movie has already made $68.7 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Since Warner Bros. initially planned on continuing The Matrix franchise sans its' original creators, the studio probably wouldn't hesitate to make another sequel without the Wachowski sisters' blessing. However, if they were to do such a thing, it would be a big mistake.
