The Matrix Resurrections

[GeneChing]

There's a vid that reiterates this exclusive.


MARCH 14, 2017 6:13pm PT by Borys Kit, Kim Masters, Rebecca Ford
'The Matrix' Reboot in the Works at Warner Bros. (Exclusive) (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/matrix-reboot-works-at-warner-bros-986292)
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The 1999 sci-fi movie is coming back.

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.

Penn is repped by UTA.

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/images/mzine/1999-2cover.jpg
MAY 1999 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=95)

THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS: The End of the Wachowski Brothers But Not Yuen Woo-Ping (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=422) by Dr. Craig Reid

Matrix Didn't Suck: REVOLUTIONS spoilers (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?26425-Matrix-Didn-t-Suck-REVOLUTIONS-spoilers)
The Ultimate MATRIX: RELOADED thred (Major Spoilers) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?22131-The-Ultimate-MATRIX-RELOADED-thred-(Major-Spoilers))

There are more Matrix links & threads, but this will do for now. :cool:

[GeneChing]

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TRENDING
Jet Li says he rejected The Matrix because he didn’t want his kung fu moves digitally recorded (https://www.abacusnews.com/digital-life/jet-li-says-he-rejected-matrix-because-he-didnt-want-his-kung-fu-moves-digitally-recorded/article/2169070)
Martial arts superstar explained the decision in a recent interview with Chinese media

Remember Seraph from The Matrix? The kung fu fighting Guardian of the Oracle could have been played by Jet Li… until he realized the filmmakers might have wanted to digitally preserve all his martial arts moves.

The role of Seraph went to Taiwan actor Collin Chou. No offense to Keanu Reeves, but Seraph’s moves are so much more fluid that those of Neo’s.

In his latest interview (https://www.weibo.com/1623886424/GEjlZeRFn?type=comment) with famed Chinese anchor Chen Luyu, Li revealed his reason for turning down the big role in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolution.

“It was a commercial struggle for me,” Li said, “I realized the Americans wanted me to film for three months but be with the crew for nine. And for six months, they wanted to record and copy all my moves into a digital library.”

He added, “By the end of the recording, the right to these moves would go to them.”

Li said back then, he was already worried that future technology would allow US filmmakers to digitally reproduce his moving body and superimpose the face of any actor onto it.

“I was thinking: I’ve been training my entire life. And we martial artists could only grow older. Yet they could own [my moves] as an intellectual property forever. So I said I couldn’t do that,” Li said.

This isn’t the first time that Li has talked about his decision to reject the role.

In 2002, he told the BBC he thought the movie was going to be great with or without him. The next year, he told CNN that he wanted to use the time to film the martial arts epic Hero instead.

Li’s recent appearance followed news of his declining health earlier this year.

The 55 year-old Beijing-born actor has been suffering from hyperthyroidism and spinal problems. Pictures of Li’s almost unrecognizably frail appearance emerged on Weibo earlier this year, sending shockwaves across the web.

Li’s manager later came out and said Li was “completely fine” despite his battle with hyperthyroidism.

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Jet Li before and now. (Picture: SCMP/Facebook)

Li did appear to be in high spirits during his recent interview. That could bode well for the Hollywood icon who is slated to be part of Disney's upcoming live-action Mulan.

THREADS:
Li Lian Jie (Jet Li) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?8290-Li-Lian-Jie-(Jet-Li))
The Matrix Reboot (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70161-The-Matrix-Reboot)

[GeneChing]

It was 20 years ago. READ Wude: Leveraging the Vexations of Our Modern-day MATRIX (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1483)by Williy Pang

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/images/mzine/1999-SP-HKcover.jpg

[herb ox]

Wude is an ancient concept that would do well to be emphasized in modern times. With the present day political climate, children who are raised by video games and a culture that oversells everything for the sake of mere profit, VIRTUE is a word nearly lost to the present generations. Thanks, Gene for resurrecting this article as its content, IMHO, is more relevant and worthy of our consideration than ever. Make America (and the world) virtuous again...

peace

herb ox

[GeneChing]

‘John Wick’ Director Hopeful Lana and Lilly Wachowski Return for Fourth #Matrix Movie (https://www.indiewire.com/2019/05/matrix-4-wachowskis-join-sequel-1202139594/?fbclid=IwAR00Znmo2_01mZ3envXOxDG3mEjya7OW9WZevvzW owvWA6UimwoztjZTM1Y)
"The Matrix" last graced the big screen in 2003 with trilogy-ender "The Matrix Revolutions."
Zack Sharf
May 10, 2019 11:17 am
@zsharf

https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ip-2186874.jpg
“The Matrix”
Warner Bros.

Update 2:00pm ET: Chad Stahelski’s reps tell IndieWire the director was misquoted in his Yahoo Movies UK interview. His answers were hypothetical and he was speaking about his desire for the Wachowskis to return and not confirming they were involved.

–

Are Lana and Lilly Wachowski gearing up to revive their iconic “Matrix” franchise on the big screen? No official word has come from the directing duo, but “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski tells Yahoo Movies UK that’s the plan at the moment. News broke in March 2017 that Warner Bros. was eyeing a “Matrix” reboot with Michael B. Jordan in contention for the leading role. The Wachowskis were not attached to the project at the time but according to Stahelski that has changed.

“I’m super happy that the Wachowskis are not just doing a ‘Matrix,’ but they’re expanding what we all loved,” Stahelski told Yahoo Movies UK. “And if it’s anywhere near the level of what they’ve already done, it wouldn’t take more than a call to go, ‘Hey, we want you to be a stunt guy’ and I would probably go and get hit by a car.”

Stahelski said he’s not positive whether or not the Wachowskis will return as the directors of the film (“I’m not sure of the overall. I’m not sure if Lana is”), but he assured fans Lana and Lilly will be involved creatively in some capacity with bringing their beloved film franchise back to life on the big screen.

“Yeah,” the director said when asked if the Wachowskis are involved. “And if they wanted help, I would absolutely put down whatever I was doing to help them.”

Stahelski worked as a stunt performer on the original “Matrix” trilogy and has since made a name for himself as the director of the “John Wick” movies. The director’s newest action franchise has kept him busy working with original “Matrix” star Keanu Reeves. “The Matrix” launched in 1999 and was heralded as a game-changing blockbuster due to its use of pioneering visual effects. The original won four Oscars and grossed $463 million worldwide. Two sequels followed, “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” both of which were released theatrically in 2003. The films spawned successful video games and books as well. It’s still unclear whether or not a fourth “Matrix” movie would be a prequel, although that was the original rumor.

IndieWire has reached out to the Wachowskis’ representatives for further comment.

THREADS
The Matrix Reboot (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70161-The-Matrix-Reboot)
John Wick 3: Parabellum (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70294-John-Wick-3-Parabellum)

[GeneChing]

The Wachowski's Are Reportedly Set To Direct The New MATRIX Movie with Michael B. Jordan (https://geektyrant.com/news/the-wachowskis-are-reportedly-set-to-direct-the-new-matrix-movie-with-michael-b-jordan?fbclid=IwAR1-qBZgA5_IzI9d6aGGNhTGWCI6QsIMlzMadfN76Rr_L6Zywi8Tld knR70)
4 Days Ago by Joey Paur

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Last month John Wick director Chad Stahelski said that The Matrix revival film was moving forward at Warner Bros. and that The Wachowski’s would be involved in some way. He is quoted as saying:

“I’m super happy that the Wachowskis are not just doing a Matrix, but they’re expanding what we all loved. And if it’s anywhere near the level of what they’ve already done, it wouldn’t take more than a call to go, ‘Hey, we want you to be a stunt guy’ and I would probably go and get hit by a car.”

It was later reported that the this comment was inaccurate and taken out of context. But, maybe it wasn’t! Discussing Film, who has reported several scoops that turn out to be true, says that not only are the Wachowski’s involved, they are directing it!

They go on to report that the film will start shooting in early 2020 in Chicago. Apparently they have been secretly prepping the movie under the working title “Project Ice Cream”.

None of this has been confirmed by the studio, but I actually wouldn’t mind seeing the Wachowski’s return to direct the next installment of the franchise. Sure, The Matrix sequels weren’t the greatest, but that doesn’t mean that can’t com back and make another badass Matrix movie! If anyone is going to take on The Matrix revival, the creators of the franchise should be the ones to do it.

Zak Penn (Ready Player One) is writing the script for the film and Michael B. Jordan is still said to be attached to star in it. Plot details are under wraps but, “the project is already beginning to fill out its crew with Hugh Bateup, who was an art director on 1999’s ‘The Matrix’ set to return to the franchise as the production designer for this film.”

What do you all think about the possibility of The Wachowskis returning to direct The Matrix revival?

I was just thinking I should revisit the trilogy. I remember the first film well enough but the others are a blur now.

[GeneChing]

Lilly Wachowski Hopes WB’s New ‘Matrix’ Movie is “Better Than The Original” [TCA 2019] (https://www.slashfilm.com/new-matrix-movie-lilly-wachowski/)
Posted on Friday, August 2nd, 2019 by Fred Topel

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Lilly Wachowski, one half of the directing duo behind the original The Matrix, was on a Television Critics Association panel for her Showtime series Work in Progress, which she produced and co-wrote with co-creators Abby McEnany, who stars, and Tim Mason, who directs. After the panel, /Film had a chance to ask her about Warner Bros.’ next Matrix movie, which has been in the works for a couple of years.

Lilly co-created, co-wrote, and co-directed the original Matrix trilogy alongside her sister Lana Wachowski, and while Lilly confirmed that she’s not involved with the new Matrix movie, she did say that she hopes it can improve upon the 1999 film that started it all.

Lilly Wachowski Won’t Be Involved

A misunderstanding in an interview with former The Matrix stunt performer Chad Stahelski caused people to think the Wachowskis might be involved with the new version, perhaps in a producing capacity, but Stahelski later clarified he was speaking hypothetically and didn’t know if the Wachowskis would actually be involved or not.

Today, Lilly Wachowski confirmed she was committed to Work in Progress and wouldn’t have time to jack back into The Matrix.

“Well, I’m a little busy at the moment,” she told /Film.

That makes sense. The Wachowskis got to make their trilogy the way they wanted, and they’ve been creating new projects since, including the Netflix show Sense8 and now Work in Progress. There’s been a lot of misinformation floating around about their potential involvement with a reboot or continuation, so it’s nice to have some direct confirmation.

She Thinks The New Matrix Could Be Better

The Matrix was a personal film for the Wachowskis. It was their first blockbuster, thus earning them the Hollywood clout to make two sequels and other films like Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas, and Jupiter Ascending. The Matrix trilogy was also a philosophical statement that allowed them to explore the nature of choice and the experience of reality.

It’s been 20 years since the first film debuted – you can listen to the /Filmcast’s retrospective episode about it here – and Lilly Wachowski supports Warner Bros. trying a new take on The Matrix. After all, most Hollywood franchises change hands at some point.

“I like it when stories go out into the world and then come back to you in different ways,” Wachowski said. “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.”

Stahelski is next directing John Wick: Chapter 4, which hits theaters on May 21, 2021. Lilly Wachowski’s Work in Progress debuts on Showtime on December 8, 2019. I still enjoy the Wachowskis work and am looking forward to Work in Progress.

[GeneChing]

Changing the title of this thread from The Matrix Reboot to Matrix 4


NEWS AUGUST 20, 2019 1:09PM PT
‘Matrix 4’ Officially a Go With Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Lana Wachowski (EXCLUSIVE) (https://variety.com/2019/film/news/matrix-4-keanu-reeves-carrie-anne-moss-lana-wachowski-1203307955/?fbclid=IwAR25gXYIsaXBg4Wfctm2ctXyexJYef4TfwjpuXCx Gh0WALGaT-gSYbz0nOw)
By JUSTIN KROLL
Film Reporter
@https://twitter.com/krolljvar

Get ready to re-enter the Matrix.

Lana Wachowski is set to write and direct a fourth film set in the world of “The Matrix,” with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprising their roles as Neo and Trinity, respectively.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures will produce and globally distribute the film. Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman Toby Emmerich made the announcement on Tuesday.

“We could not be more excited to be re-entering ‘The Matrix’ with Lana,” said Emmerich. “Lana is a true visionary — a singular and original creative filmmaker — and we are thrilled that she is writing, directing and producing this new chapter in ‘The Matrix’ universe.”

In addition to Wachowski, the script was also written by Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Wachowski is also producing with Grant Hill. Sources say the film is eyed to begin production at the top of 2020.

Warner Bros. has been trying for the last of couple years to find a way to get back into “The Matrix” universe, but a hold-up over producing rights slowed the project down. Over the past couple of months, the studio saw an opportunity to ramp up development, with Reeves boasting a strong summer that included box office hits “John Wick 3” and “Toy Story 4” and a script from Wachowski that drummed up excitement.

Plot details are currently unknown, as is how the role of Morpheus will be handled, originally played by Laurence Fishburne. Some sources say the role may be recast for a younger take.

The three previous films —“The Matrix,” “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” — have collectively earned more than $1.6 billion at the global box office. All three were written and directed by Lana and her sister, Lilly, and starred Reeves and Moss.

“Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now. I’m very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends,” Wachowski said.

The first “Matrix” had its 20th anniversary this year, marked by special screenings at select AMC locations starting on Aug. 30.

Wachowski is represented by WME, Circle of Confusion and attorney Peter Grossman. Reeves is represented by WME and Ziffren Brittenham. Moss is represented by WME, longtime manager Elizabeth Hodgson and attorney Bob Lange.

[GeneChing]

OCTOBER 9, 2019 8:30AM PT
‘Matrix 4’: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Lands Lead Role (EXCLUSIVE) (https://variety.com/2019/film/news/matrix-4-yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-1203364314/)
By JUSTIN KROLL
Film Reporter
@https://twitter.com/krolljvar

“Aquaman” star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has landed one of the lead roles in the latest installment in the “Matrix” franchise.

Sources tell Variety that director Lana Wachowski met with actors for the secret role over the last week and in recent days, Abdul-Mateen emerged as the frontrunner to join Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, who will be reprising their roles in the film.

Warner Bros. announced in August that a fourth “Matrix” movie is officially in the works, with Reeves and Moss returning and Wachowski on board to write and direct. Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures will produce and globally distribute the film.

In addition to Wachowski, the script was also written by Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Wachowski is also producing with Grant Hill. The film is expected to begin production at the beginning of 2020.

Warner Bros. has been trying for the last couple of years to find a way back into “The Matrix” universe, but a hold-up over producing rights slowed the project down. The studio has recently seen the opportunity to ramp up development, with Reeves boasting a strong summer that included box office hits “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” and “Toy Story 4,” in addition to a solid script from Wachowski.

Plot details are currently unknown and while it was rumored a young Morpheus could appear in the movie, sources close to the film would not confirm Abdul-Mateen’s specific role.

The three previous films — “The Matrix,” “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” — have collectively earned more than $1.6 billion at the global box office. All three were written and directed by Lana and her sister, Lilly, and starred Reeves and Moss.

In addition to his breakout role as Manta in Warner Bros.’ “Aquaman,” Abdul-Mateen portrayed Lupita Nyong’o’s character’s father in Jordan Peele’s hit “Us” and had a starring role in an episode of “Black Mirror.” He will appear as Cal Abar in HBO’s “Watchmen” TV series, which also stars Regina King and Don Johnson.

Abdul-Mateen was most recently cast to play Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale in Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and landed the titular role in the Peele-produced “Candyman,” set for release in 2020. He will topline the Netflix drama “All Day and a Night” alongside Jeffrey Wright. He is repped by WME and Anonymous Content.

Young Morpheus? Hmmm.

[GeneChing]

Neil Patrick Harris Joining 'Matrix 4' (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/neil-patrick-harris-joins-matrix-4-1247861)
OCTOBER 15, 2019 12:52PM by Borys Kit

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Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are also on the call sheet.

Neil Patrick Harris is uploading himself to The Matrix 4.

The actor is in talks to join a cast that also includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Lana Wachowski, co-creator and director of The Matrix, is directing the new installment for Warner Bros. The studio is producing and distributing with Village Roadshow Productions.

Wachowski is producing the fourth Matrix with Grant Hill, and co-wrote the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell.

Plot details are being kept under wraps at this stage.

Harris spent almost a decade starring in CBS’s comedy How I Met Your Mother and more recently spent three seasons starring as Count Olaf in Netflix’s adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events. That has kept him away from larger roles in movies but in recent years has appeared in films such as David Fincher’s Gone Girl and Alexander Payne’s Downsizing.

The Matrix, released in 1999, was a box office hit and spawned two sequels, 2003's The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Combined, the films have grossed $1.63 billion globally.
How I Met Your Matrix

[GeneChing]

‘The Matrix 4’: Jada Pinkett Smith In Negotiations To Return To Franchise (https://deadline.com/2019/10/matrix-4-jada-pinkett-smith-in-talks-to-return-1202761135/)
By Anthony D'Alessandro
October 15, 2019 5:29pm

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Warner Bros.

EXCLUSIVE: Several sources tell us that Jada Pinkett Smith is in current negotiations to return for Warner Bros./Village Roadshow’s The Matrix 4. She played the role of Niobe in parts 2 and 3, The Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions. It is not a done deal yet, we hear.

Niobe is from Zion, and the captain of the Logos hovercraft. She’s also one of the rebels in the war against the Machines and the Matrix. In the virtual world of the Matrix, Niobe is a gifted martial artist. The character also appeared in the Enter the Matrix videogame and The Matrix Online multiplayer game.

Earlier today it was announced that Neil Patrick Harris is joining the Matrix 4 cast, which currently includes Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II; the latter is rumored to play a young Morpheus. Lana Wachowski will direct and co-write the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Grant Hill produces.

Also this afternoon, Deadline learned that Pinkett Smith signed with WME. Her filmography counts $4.5 billion at the global box office from such pics as the Madagascar franchise, Collateral, Girls Trip and Bad Moms. She is the host and executive producer of Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk, alongside her daughter Willow Smith and mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris. Pinkett Smith also is repped by Miguel Melendez at Three Six Zero Management and attorneys Jason Sloane and Mark Wetzstein. CAA, Pinkett Smith’s former agent, is brokering the Matrix 4 deal.

I'm going to have to rewatch 2 & 3. I really only remember 1 and remember not enjoying 2 & 3 that much.

[GeneChing]

‘Matrix 4’: ‘Iron Fist’ Actress Jessica Henwick In Talks To Board (https://deadline.com/2019/10/matrix-4-jessica-henwick-cast-iron-fist-game-of-thrones-actress-1202760995/)
By Anthony D'Alessandro
Editorial Director/Box Office Editor
@AwardsTony
October 16, 2019 12:11pm

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Rebecca Cabage/Shutterstock

EXCLUSIVE: We hear that Marvel Iron Fist actress Jessica Henwick is in talks for a lead role in Warner Bros./Village Roadshow’s Matrix 4, a part which is currently under wraps.

Sources tell us that Henwick performed quite strongly during the audition process. There’s been buzz around town that Matrix 4 director and co-scribe Lana Wachowski is looking to have a female-like Neo character at the forefront of the new film. Henwick joins Matrix franchise actors Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. It’s been speculated that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will play a young Morpheus. Yesterday, Neil Patrick Harris joined the cast, while Deadline reported that Jada Pinkett Smith is in negotiations to reprise her role as hovercraft pilot-rebel-martial arts specialist Niobe.

Wachowski co-write the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Grant Hill, who executive produced Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions is back as producer. The Matrix trilogy has grossed over $1.6 billion at the global box office.

Henwick voices the character of Alexia for the Netflix animated series Gods & Heroes, and played Colleen Wing on Marvel/Netflix’s Iron Fist and its spinoff series The Defenders. She also played Nymeria Sand on HBO’s Game of Thrones. Feature credits include Star Wars: The Force Awakens with an impressive number of upcominng movies for the Surrey, England-born actress including Paramount’s upcoming Monster Problems, Legendary/Warner Bros.’ Godzilla vs. Kong, Sofia Coppola’s Apple/A24 feature On the Rocks, and the Kristen Stewart 20th Century Fox film Underwater. Henwick trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.

Henwick is repped by CAA, Curtis Brown in the UK, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein.

"female-like Neo" or "Neo-like female"? It's the Wachowskis so this could go either way. :confused:

[GeneChing]

'Flash' and 'Matrix 4' Get Release Dates (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/flash-matrix-4-get-release-dates-1261939)
DECEMBER 11, 2019 12:19PM by Aaron Couch, Borys Kit

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/768x433/2019/12/justice_league_the_matrix_split.jpg
Ezra Miller as The Flash in 'Justice League' (left), Keanu Reeves in 'The Matrix' | Warner Bros./Photofest

Warner Bros. has also undated 'Akira,' which was put on pause when filmmaker Taika Waititi signed on for a fourth 'Thor' movie over the summer.

Warner Bros. has announced release dates for two of its upcoming tentpoles, The Flash and the latest Matrix sequel.

The untitled Matrix film is set to open May 21, 2021, while the long-gestating Flash movie is set to bow July 1, 2022. The studio has also undated Akira, the manga adaptation that has Taika Waititi attached to direct but was put on hold in July when the filmmaker signed on to helm a fourth Thor film for Marvel Studios. It previously was slated for the date now occupied by the Matrix pic.

In a strange twist, the Matrix sequel is now set to go against Lionsgate's John Wick: Chapter 4, with both films starring Keanu Reeves. Matrix co-creator Lana Wachowski is directing the upcoming Matrix effort, which also stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Carrie-Anne Moss, Neil Patrick Harris and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Meanwhile, Wednesday's announcement marks the latest release-date shuffle for The Flash, which has long-struggled in its development process. Ezra Miller stars as the DC Comics speedster and made his first appearance in a cameo in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The studio had initially planned to get a solo outing ready for a 2018 release but creative challenges and musical chairs for the director's seat kept pushing any start of production back. And back again. It filmmaker Andy Muschietti is on board as director now, with a shoot planned for next year.

Additionally, Warner Bros. has moved the release of its Mortal Kombat reboot up six weeks to Jan. 15, 2021, and has also dated an untitled project about political activist Fred Hampton for Aug. 21, 2020.


The Hollywood Reporter
AARON COUCH
aaron.couch@thr.com
@AaronCouch
BORYS KIT
@borys_kit


THREADS
John Wick 4 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71307-John-Wick-Chapter-4) May 21, 2021
Matrix 4 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70161-Matrix-4) May 21, 2021

Mortal Kombat (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71437-Mortal-Kombat-2021-reboot) August 20, 2020
Akira (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?50245-Akira) undated

[GeneChing]

'Matrix 4' Could Be Filming In San Francisco In 2020 (https://alt1053.radio.com/blogs/dallas/matrix-4-could-be-filming-in-san-francisco-and-alameda?fbclid=IwAR3Rn01OWUsBrlRBB1komwSNBxF0Mcml2 MPGkB6M2iFa7j8GD5dDmSwAsNM)
DECEMBER 9, 2019
Dallas

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Frank Micelotta / Staff

CATEGORIES: Bay Area News Entertainment

UPDATE: 'Matrix 4' star Keanu Reeves has been spotted in Alameda this week. Potentially filming for the new film.


Jennifer Nutefall
@SCULibrarian
Breaking news from the Bay Area: I have heard from reliable sources that Keanu Reeves is staying in Alameda (the island. By Oakland.) while filming Matrix IV. Also breaking news, I did not realize there was going to be a Matrix IV

9
8:06 AM - Jan 7, 2020
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Keanu Planet
@keanuplanet
Keanu Reeves in Alameda (near #SanFrancisco), California - Jan 7 2020#keanureeves #California
Thanks @mr_reeves_blog 🙏https://twitter.com/happynibbamoy/status/1214404529401151488?s=19 …https://twitter.com/happynibbamoy/status/1214404644564172800?s=19 …

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@happynibbamoy
Replying to @happynibbamoy @idk510
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In August we found out that 'Matrix 4' was officially a go with Keanu Reeves & Carrie-Anne Moss reprising their roles & Lana Wachowski returning to write and direct the film. It also might return to the Bay Area for filming.


SFGate
✔
@SFGate
Is 'Matrix 4' going to film in San Francisco? http://dlvr.it/RKyjsB

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2003's 'The Matrix: Reloaded' filmed in the Posey Tube between Oakland & Alameda and now SF Gate is reporting that the film's fourth installment could be filming in San Francisco under the codename 'Project Ice Cream'.

The SF Film Commission has said that a major project with that working title will film in SF starting in February 2020, but it is not yet known where, or when exactly filming will take place, but go ahead & keep an eye out.

Project Ice Cream needs to shoot at Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php).

[GeneChing]

Keanu Reeves was spotted eating ice cream in Alameda ahead of filming 'Matrix 4' (https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/Keanu-Reeves-Alameda-ice-cream-Matrix-4-John-Wick-14960445.php?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral&fbclid=IwAR1MPNnSCgdNxSHVDevRYd8g6drETb53WHW8Qc264 zHCoUjN0h7mzBuyVgg)
By Amanda Bartlett, SFGATE Updated 4:30 pm PST, Wednesday, January 8, 2020

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/03/71/57/17800173/3/920x920.jpg
FILE - Keanu Reeves arrives for the world premiere of "Toy Story 4" at El Capitan theatre in Hollywood, California on June 11, 2019. The actor was reportedly hanging out in Alameda ahead of shooting next month for "Matrix 4." Photo: Valerie Macon, AFP/Getty Images

Red pill or blue pill? It appears Keanu Reeves chose neither during a recently confirmed sighting in Alameda.

Instead, he opted for a scoop of ice cream at the Baskin-Robbins location on Blanding Avenue.

Video shared to Twitter Monday evening shows the "Always Be My Maybe" actor casually seated on the curb outside of the ice cream chain, enjoying his cone in solitude. (Later, he was kind enough to pose for a photo with a young fan.)

A Baskin-Robbins employee named Abby told KTVU Reeves had walked into the shop around 5 p.m. that day. While she didn't get to see Reeves herself, she said her colleague who was working the evening shift "freaked out" and "didn't know how to act" when he saw the actor walk up to the counter. After the fact, a large sum of money was apparently left in the tip jar.


Moy
@happynibbamoy
· Jan 6, 2020
Replying to @idk510
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Moy
@happynibbamoy
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The fourth "Matrix" installment is scheduled to begin filming in February, and it looks like some of the scenes might take place in Alameda as well as San Francisco. It makes sense: A car chase scene in the 2003 sequel, "The Matrix: Reloaded," was filmed in the Posey Tube connecting Oakland and Alameda.

Last month, the San Francisco Film Commission told SFGATE a major film production – which, ironically enough, has the working title of "Project Ice Cream" – would be shooting around the same time. Industry trade magazine Production Weekly confirmed "Project Ice Cream" was the working title of "Matrix 4."

On Wednesday, an Alameda city official confirmed to SFGATE that Warner Bros. had previously obtained "the right permits to do filming" there but could not provide further comment.

Reeves was also reportedly spotted at the Big 5 Sporting Goods location on Park Street the following day.

"Matrix 4" is slated for release on May 21, 2021, the same weekend as "John Wick 4." Keanu fans can look forward to "Bill and Ted 3" later in August.

https://smhttp-ssl-73310.nexcesscdn.net/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/e322c11f72dc2651f2609b16afbb40a5/k/u/kung-fu-tai-chi-hong-kong-special-issue-8.gif.gif
Keanu was one of our cover masters, for Matrix no less. That was our Hong Kong meets Hollywood Special Issue (https://www.martialartsmart.com/kf-hongkong.html).

[GeneChing]

Hugo Weaving explains why he wasn’t in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and won’t be appearing in the new ‘Matrix’ (https://www.timeout.com/london/news/hugo-weaving-explains-why-he-wasnt-in-avengers-endgame-and-wont-be-appearing-in-the-new-matrix-012020/amp?__twitter_impression=true)
By Andrzej Lukowski
Posted: Monday January 20 2020, 4:53pm

https://media.timeout.com/images/105593597/1372/772/image.jpg
Photo: Warner Bros.

One of Australia’s most respected actors, Hugo Weaving is known for his turns in some of the most successful movie franchises of all time. His non-appearance in them has also been noted: after originating the character of Red Skull in 2011‘s ‘Captain America’, he failed to reprise the character in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’. The directors of the films, Joe and Anthony Russo, confirmed that he had been approached, but did not elaborate as to why he’d turned them down. Speculation has also been rife as to whether his iconic Agent Smith will return for the imminent fourth ‘Matrix’ film.

In an interview with Time Out to promote his upcoming role in the National Theatre’s hotly anticipated ‘The Visit’ opposite Lesley Manville (which you can read in our February 4 issue), he said that he’d turned down Marvel because it offered him less than what he was contracted for to reprise the role. He also shed some light on his absence from the new ‘Matrix’ film. Read on for that Hugo Weaving-related disappointment in full.

The most recent interview with you I’ve seen on the subject said you weren’t doing the new ‘Matrix’ film, but that was a couple of years ago… are you still not doing it?

‘I’m not, no…’

Also, it was widely noted that you weren’t in the last two ‘Avengers’ films – presumably they tried to get you?

‘Oh, yeah. I loved playing that character Red Skull – it was a lot of fun. We were all obliged to sign up for three pictures: I was thinking [Red Skull] probably wouldn’t come back in “Captain America” but he may well come back as a villain in “The Avengers”. By then, they’d pushed back on the contracts that we agreed on and so the money they offered me for “The Avengers” was much less than I got for the very first one, and this was for two films. And the promise when we first signed the contracts was that the money would grow each time. They said: “It’s just a voice job, it’s not a big deal”. I actually found negotiating with them through my agent impossible. And I didn’t really wanna do it that much. But I would have done it.’

He then went on to volunteer the following about the so-far untitled new ‘The Matrix’ film.

‘“The Matrix” is a very different story. It’s unfortunate but actually I had this offer [for “The Visit”] and then the offer came from “The Matrix”, so I knew it was happening but I didn’t have dates. I thought [I] could do both and it took eight weeks to work out that the dates would work – I held off on accepting [a role in “The Visit” during that time]. I was in touch with [director] Lana Wachowski, but in the end she decided that the dates weren’t going to work. So we’d sorted the dates and then she sort of changed her mind. They’re pushing on ahead without me.’

You hear that, Mr Anderson? That is the sound of clashing schedules. Allay any disappointment by catching Weaving in ‘The Visit’, which runs at the National Theatre, Fri Jan 31-May 13.



By Andrzej Lukowski
Andrzej Lukowski has been the theatre and dance editor of Time Out London since 2013.

THREADS
Matrix 4 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70161-Matrix-4)
Avengers: Endgame (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71016-Avengers-Endgame)

[GeneChing]

I was just in SF last Saturday and I'm going back tonight. Next time I go back, I'll start watching for Neo... or that woman in the red dress. ;)


The Matrix 4 to Begin Shooting with Keanu Reeves in San Francisco Next Month (https://movieweb.com/the-matrix-4-production-start-date-location/)
RYAN SCOTT — January 27, 2020 in MOVIE NEWS

https://cdn3.movieweb.com/i/article/8T0PhRPcuEgRFZSiD7AF4rNZkMACDf/798:75/The-Matrix-4-Production-Start-Date-Location.jpg

The Matrix 4 is gearing up to begin filming next month. We learned officially last August, after much discussion, that Warner Bros. was gearing up to dust off the classic sci-fi franchise for another installment. Not a reboot. Rather, Keanu Reeves will be returning as Neo, with Carrie-Anne Moss also reprising her role as Trinity. Now, we have word that production is looking to get underway sooner rather than later on what could be one of the most significant franchise revivals in recent memory.

According to a new report, a casting call from Dwyer Casting was recently put out, which was on the lookout for background extras for something called Project Ice Cream. Filming is set to take place between February 5 and March 1 in San Francisco, California, per the casting call. As it just so happens, Project Ice Cream is the working title being used for The Matrix 4. So, while that certainly wasn't the intended purpose, this has revealed that cameras will get rolling in the very near future.

At present, few details have been made available about the sequel. We know Lana Wachowski, who co-directed the original Matrix trilogy alongside her sister, Lily Wachowski, is returning to helm the project. Lily Wachowski, so far as we know, will not be involved. Other returning cast members from the past include Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe and, quite possibly, Lambert Wilson as The Merovingian. New cast members include Max Riemelt (Berlin Syndrome), Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist), Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), Toby Onwumere (Empire) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen). It's rumored that Abdul-Mateen will be playing a young Morpheus, but that has yet to be confirmed.

No plot details have been revealed at this time. We did recently hear that Hugo Weaving won't be returning as Agent Smith. However, the actor did reveal that there was a part for him, he just couldn't work it out in terms of scheduling. This comes at a time when studios are desperately searching for franchises that can deliver at the box office, as the marketplace has become unpredictable. Disney has been dominating the competition, as they have an army of franchises and IP that can attract big crowds. Bearing that in mind, the time seems right for Keanu Reeves to have another crack at The Matrix.

Released in 1999, The Matrix went on to become a massive blockbuster hit and, more than that, a seminal, genre-defining sci-fi classic. The sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both released in 2003, failed to live up to the original in the eyes of many fans and critics. To date, the franchise has grossed more than $1.6 billion at the global box office. The Matrix 4 is set to hit theaters on May 21, 2021. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. This news comes to us via HN Entertainment.



Ryan Scott at Movieweb
Writer of various things on the internet (mostly about movies) since 2013. Major lover of popcorn flicks. Avid appreciator of James Bond, Marvel and Star Wars. Has a tremendously fat cat named Buster and still buys CDs. I’ve got my reasons.

[GeneChing]

There's an embedded vid for this, not a pic.


JANUARY 28, 2020 11:02AM PT
Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Final Negotiations to Join ‘Matrix 4’ (EXCLUSIVE) (https://variety.com/2020/film/news/priyanka-chopra-jonas-joins-matrix-4-1203482683/)
By MATT DONNELLY
Senior Film Writer
@MattDonnelly

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is taking the red pill.

The actress and international beauty icon is in final talks to join the cast of the untitled fourth film in the Matrix saga, the Wachowskis’ game-changing action franchise, insiders close to negotiations said.

The Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow film is being directed by series co-creator Lana Wachowski. She’ll join the previously announced Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Neil Patrick Harris. Details about her prospective character are currently under wraps.

The “Matrix 4” cast has been in fight training for weeks for production start, which will begin imminently in Northern California.

Chopra Jonas is a National Film Award winner with more than 60 films to her credit. Her U.S. television debut was on the ABC drama “Quantico,” which ran for three seasons. Chopra Jonas made history as the first Indian-born actor to star as the lead of a primetime network series and won a People’s Choice Award for this role in 2016. She was featured on the cover of TIME magazine’s coveted TIME 100 issue in 2016, named as one of the “Most Influential People” in the world, and recognized as one of Forbes Most Powerful Women.

Chopra Jonas recently starred in and co-produced “The Sky is Pink,” an indie in the official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival. She’ll next be seen in Netflix’s “We Can Be Heroes,” from by Robert Rodriguez, and an adaptation of the Man Booker Prize winning novel “The White Tiger,” which she is also executive producing. She’s also developing an Indian wedding comedy with Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor for Universal, in which she is set to star and co-produce. She’ll film “Matrix 4” concurrently in tandem with “Citadel,” an Amazon series with Richard Madden from the Russo brothers.

Chopra Jonas runs her own production company, Purple Pebble Pictures, which is headquartered in Mumbai and Los Angeles. She is repped by manager Anjula Acharia, UTA, and Grubman Shire.
Apart from Quantico, Priyanka has yet to get a fair shake on a good role in Hollywood. She's an excellent actress. If you want to see her really act, check out the Bollywood film Barfi (2012).

[GeneChing]

SF lost the superbowl (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71660-Super-Bowl-LIV) but we got Keanu.


Keanu Reeves back in San Francisco as ‘Matrix’ filming underway (https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/keanu-reeves-back-in-san-francisco-as-matrix-filming-underway/?fbclid=IwAR2Iz_K7uU6hTnuQHOeiKIGcEHcJKMXLmKiEGdAd j0lEwMGx8XkIe30yrrw)
BAY AREA
by: Alexa Mae Asperin
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 / 12:07 PM PST / Updated: Feb 5, 2020 / 12:38 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – It apparently looks like filming for the reported next installment of “The Matrix” is underway in San Francisco!

It’s all lights, camera, and action for Keanu Reeves and the rest of the “Matrix 4” cast near Columbus Avenue and Kearny Street, where a full-on film crew was spotted.

The crew was seen near the popular “House of Nanking” restaurant.

People in the area say they’re thrilled to see Keanu as movie production continues Wednesday.


Haaziq Madyun
@KRON4HMadyun
“And Action” Matrix film crew at work in SF ⁦@kron4news⁩

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Haaziq Madyun
@KRON4HMadyun
In the flesh ⁦@kron4news⁩

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Just last month Keanu was spotted eating ice cream in Alameda, sparking rumors that filming for the new movie was just around the corner.

Keanu and co-star Carrie-Ann Moss are both reprising their iconic roles for the film, which is slated for release on May 21, 2021.

[GeneChing]

Here's where Keanu Reeves is filming in San Francisco right now for 'Matrix 4' (https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/Keanu-Reeves-Matrix-4-filming-San-Francisco-15035955.php)
By Amanda Bartlett, SFGATE Published 12:20 pm PST, Thursday, February 6, 2020

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/10/35/02/18993317/3/920x920.jpg
Photo: Erin Carlson
IMAGE 1 OF 30

On Wednesday, Keanu Reeves talks to the camera crew as a Muni bus drives by during filming for "Matrix 4" at Columbus Avenue in North Beach.

Crossing the intersection of Kearny Street and Columbus Avenue. Popping into House of Nanking in Chinatown. Chatting with a camera crew in front of a Muni bus in North Beach.

On Wednesday, Keanu Reeves made several appearances in downtown San Francisco while in town to shoot "Matrix 4" — otherwise known as "Project Ice Cream" — alongside co-star Carrie-Ann Moss, and some locals were lucky enough to bump right into him on their walk to work.


Keanu Planet (https://twitter.com/keanuplanet/status/1225155742635827204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1225155742635827204&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfgate.com%2Fsf-culture%2****icle%2FKeanu-Reeves-Matrix-4-filming-San-Francisco-15035955.php)
@keanuplanet
🎥The Matrix 4 filming in San Francisco! - Feb 5 2020
Thanks to @dougdalton IG Story🙏https://instagram.com/dougdalton?igshid=3ex6wgjvdkfc …#thematrix4 #matrix4 #KeanuReeves #SanFrancisco

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Erin Carlson, editor of the Nob Hill Gazette, told SFGATE she was strolling down Columbus Avenue during her morning commute when she noticed a medium-sized crowd had formed around people filming.

"What could draw this much interest from otherwise jaded, seen-it-all San Franciscans? KEANU," Carlson said in an e-mail.

The sequence was being shot across the street from the Sentinel Building and Cafe Zoetrope, an area Carlson described as "steeped in film history." Francis Ford Coppola reportedly bought the building in 1973 after he wrote the screenplay for "The Godfather" inside the restaurant. The top floor continues to serve as a space for his film studio, American Zoetrope, which produced George Lucas' pre-"Star Wars" sci-fi thriller "THX 1138" and some of Coppola's own works, including "Apocalypse Now" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula."


Keanu Planet
@keanuplanet
🎥 #TheMatrix4 filming in #SanFrancisco! - Feb 5 2020
Many thanks to @sfexaminer 🙏 : "Matrix stars #KeanuReeves and #CarrieAnneMoss were spotted in #Chinatown today as they filmed scenes for the upcoming sequel (📷: @peacepandaz)"https://instagram.com/sfexaminer?igshid=h806xvnqs1hl …#matrix4 #houseofnanking

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Fans swarmed the area during filming for "Matrix 4," after which Carlson said some seemingly exasperated crew members handling crowd control shooed them away from Reeves. She quickly snapped a photo of him chatting with the crew as a city bus drove by.

"He looked amazing, with perfect hair and skin," said Carlson. "A crew member said, 'We're trying to work.' I walked away wanting to know his skincare routine."

Elsewhere in Chinatown, Reeves was seen sauntering past Wayne's Liquors and ducking into Grasslands Bar & Lounge in a video released by ABC7. Between takes, fans eagerly looked on and attempted to take photos as he paused to sip some coffee and smoke a cigarette.


Keanu Planet
@keanuplanet
· Feb 5, 2020
Replying to @keanuplanet
🎥The Matrix 4 filming in San Francisco! - Feb 5 2020
Thanks to @chames_the_iii (IG Story) 🙏
Thanks @keanu_theclub for sharing 💚https://instagram.com/chames_the_iii?igshid=121z661aplvj1 …#thematrix4 #matrix4 #LanaWachowski #wachowski #KeanuReeves #SanFrancisco

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Keanu Planet
@keanuplanet
https://twitter.com/lilitan/status/1225129711761625089?s=19 …


LiLi Tan
✔
@lilitan
Do we think Keanu is a coffee or tea kind of guy? #matrix @nbcbayarea

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Instead of Neo’s typical dystopian all-leather look, though, Reeves blended in with the business casual crowd, sporting a t-shirt under a blazer with jeans and a black beanie — something John Wick would surely be more likely to wear — which puzzled some fans. Would there be a crossover universe?

Others were simply happy to see the actor, regardless.

“It was beautiful,” one of them said of the spectacle in an interview with NBC.

While the scenes being shot this week appear to be fairly low-key, some particularly action-packed moments are scheduled for filming over a two-day period later this month on Sansome Street. Periodic filming will take place through Sunday, March 31, and the movie will come out on May 21, 2021.


Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com | Twitter: @byabartlett
I watched Keanu's The Whole Truth over last weekend. It was a courtroom drama and I totally predicted the mcguffin. :cool:

[GeneChing]

Getting homeless types in SF shouldn't be too hard. :o


Matrix 4 extras asked to dress as 'homeless types,' required to run all night for minimum wage (https://m.sfgate.com/movies/article/matrix-4-extras-sf-project-ice-cream-keanu-15056971.php?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR2R0Orq_5MaeEnB7kLAKrIQDvpyRUddbkFQb_LXA frt__womWp7ZzaebFU)
Dan Gentile, SFGATE|on February 14, 2020

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/10/43/12/19018397/5/920x920.jpg
Actor Keanu Reeves is shown in a scene from Warner Bros. Pictures futuristic action thriller "The Matrix Reloaded," in this undated promotional photo. Photo: AP
Photo: AP

Actor Keanu Reeves is shown in a scene from Warner Bros. Pictures futuristic action thriller "The Matrix Reloaded," in this undated promotional photo.

San Francisco has been on Keanu Watch ever since rumors first surfaced that actor Keanu Reeves would be in town to shoot "Project Ice Cream," a code name that has officially melted away to reveal itself as the next Matrix movie. Naturally the movie needs extras, but if you want to step up for the job, you'll need stamina. And also a very insensitive wardrobe.

Dwyer Casting posted a listing in late January announcing a call for extras, and last night in an email obtained by SFGATE, the group detailed exactly who they're looking for. The call for the roles of "additional runners" requires availability all afternoon and night from today through Sunday. But be warned, extras will be "RUNNING the same blocks and hills over and over again WITHOUT looking Tired [sic]!"

Running all night is a tough ask, especially for a non-union pay rate of $124.72 for an eight hour shift (exactly SF minimum wage), but the more problematic aspect is the costuming. Extras are instructed to come dressed as "homeless types, people in PJ's, pedestrians, business types, or fitness/gym types."

It's understandable that a film needs extras of all varieties, but given San Francisco's housing crisis, the listing comes off as particularly tone deaf. Still, it's a given that many will flock to the opportunity, given that these scenes will likely be some of the film's most dramatic.

To apply for this, and other potential extra roles, visit MyCastingFile.com.

Dan Gentile is a digital editor at SFGate. Email: Dan.Gentile@sfgate.com | Twitter: @Dannosphere

[GeneChing]

You have to follow the link for the vid.


Video of 'Matrix 4' stunt doubles leaping from SF skyscraper isn’t for the faint of heart (https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/video-Matrix-4-stunt-doubles-SF-Keanu-Reeves-15060920.php?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&fbclid=IwAR1b9Hf4DCRzadfsUv-6umSE4yuJJanHk7inYjqROwkpDzv0qDpQf3E5DkM)
By Amanda Bartlett, SFGATE Published 12:06 pm PST, Sunday, February 16, 2020

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/10/35/11/18993786/3/rawImage.jpg
Photo: Erin Carlson
Earlier this month, Keanu Reeves was seen talking to the camera crew as a Muni bus drives by during filming for "Matrix 4" at Columbus Avenue in North Beach.

Haven’t caught any of the “Matrix 4” action sequences filming in downtown San Francisco yet? You might want to look up.

In a shocking video shared to Reddit on Saturday afternoon, two stunt doubles for the film — appearing to stand in for Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss — were seen leaping off the top of 44 Montgomery in the Financial District, a dizzying 43 stories from the streets below. Tethered to harnesses rigged up to a sturdy wire, one of the actors grabs the hand of their partner as they bounce in mid-air before being hoisted back to the top of the skyscraper — presumably to do it all over again.

Watch below:


Meanwhile, the actors have been staying busy at street level. Last night, another Reddit user was able to capture Reeves hitching a ride on the back of Moss’ motorcycle as they zipped down Sansome Street, with crew and cameras — and director Lana Wachowski — in tow.

“I was there and watched them circle back around 6 times. They were filming a block up. The cops were just escorting them back to the scene,” wrote user TheCaliHaze. “They’d film down the road then loop back around.”

Elsewhere in the Financial District Sunday night, two low-flying helicopters with sound effects will be conducting flyovers from 6 p.m. to midnight, according to notifications from AlertSF. They’ll be gliding at altitudes between 300 and 1,500 feet.

As for the rest of the week, shooting will consist of (even more) precision driving and helicopters, as well as pyrotechnics, controlled crashes and simulated gunfire, according to FilmSF location manager Simon Lake.

A notice issued by the film commission office verified street closures today on Front Street between Sacramento and Pine from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Here are the other designated filming areas, where activity is scheduled to take place tonight through Monday morning. Intersections marked with (*) will start filming at 5 p.m. and wrap up by midnight.

California between Sansome and Kearny

Clay between Sansome and Kearny*

Commercial between Sansome and Kearny

Leidesdorff between Clay and Pine

Merchant between Montgomery and Kearny*

Montgomery between Clay and Bush

Montgomery between Sacramento and California

Montgomery between Washington and Clay*

Sacramento between Sansome and Kearny

Spring between Sacramento and California

Pine between Front and Montgomery

Pine between Sansome and Kearny
And here’s where scenes are being shot next weekend through March 2:

Battery between California and Market

Bush between Montgomery and Battery

Fremont between Market and Mission

Front between California and Market

Davis between California and Market

Leidesdorff between California and Pine

Pine between Montgomery and Market

Sansome between Sacramento and Market
“We want to thank you in advance for your cooperation and for supporting the film industry in San Francisco,” wrote Lake. In the meantime, you can catch a glimpse of some all-black, identically dystopian vehicles — props for the film — being stashed at the Transbay Terminal.

Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com | Twitter: @byabartlett

This happened right outside a friend of mine's workplace. She posted some vids on her social media.

[GeneChing]

'The Matrix' Reboot Shuts Down Production Due to Coronavirus Crisis (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/matrix-reboot-shuts-down-production-due-coronavirus-crisis-1284857)
MARCH 16, 2020 10:58AM by Borys Kit

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/768x433/2019/08/the_matrix_still_0.jpg
'The Matrix' (1999) | Courtesy of Photofest

The movie was shooting in San Francisco but moved to Berlin in early March for the completion of its shoot.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ reboot of The Matrix has been shut down until further notice, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

The movie, currently titled The Matrix 4, was shooting in San Francisco but moved to Berlin in early March for the completion of its shoot.

No shooting was underway but the production was in prep mode.

The move follows the studio’s decision earlier Monday to postpone the start of production on the latest chapter of J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts. That shoot was set to begin Monday in London.

Warner Bros. also paused production on The Batman, also shooting in London. That movie had been seven weeks into its shoot.

The major studios began pausing their major productions late last week as a response to the growing pandemic. On Friday, Disney suspended all live-action productions, including The Little Mermaid and Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Sony paused preproduction on the action comedy The Man From Toronto on Saturday, while Netflix has put Red Notice on hiatus and Blumhouse has hit the brakes on its thriller, Vengeance, which is being directed by B.J. Novak.

Lana Wachowski is directing The Matrix 4, which reunites Keanu Reeves and Carrie Anne-Moss and also has Yahya Abdul-Mateen II on its roll call. The pic is scheduled for release on May 21, 2021, but it is unclear whether the shutdown will change that.

THREADS
Matrix 4 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70161-Matrix-4)
covid-19 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-(COVID-19)-Wuhan-Pneumonia)

[GeneChing]

How 'The Matrix' is a trans story, according to Netflix and co-director (https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/07/entertainment/matrix-transgender-netflix-wachowski-scl-intl/index.html)
By Rory Sullivan, CNN
Updated 10:24 AM ET, Fri August 7, 2020

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/200807110735-the-matrix-1999-exlarge-169.jpg
Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss star in "The Matrix," which was released in 1999.

(CNN)Netflix has posted a Twitter thread explaining the trans themes in "The Matrix," after one of its co-directors confirmed earlier this week that the movie was an allegory for gender transition.
Lilly Wachowski, who co-wrote and co-directed the film with her sister Lana Wachowski, told the streaming service about the intention behind the sci-fi movie in an interview posted on YouTube Tuesday.
Both sisters came out as trans several years after the release of the blockbuster movie.
Speaking 21 years after the first "Matrix" hit our screens, Wachowski said that the story was "all about the desire for transformation," adding that it came from "a closeted point of view" because the corporate world was not ready to hear the message at the time.
Following her comments, Netflix wrote about the allegory in a series of messages posted on Twitter on Thursday, making use of insights offered by writers and critics.
The thread cites the movie's main character Neo as a good example of the trans narrative.
"Upon 'waking up,' Neo begins his transition from one identity -- Thomas A. Anderson, a name given to him by the machines -- to the one he sculpts for himself -- Neo, his chosen name," one post reads.
Netflix also lists the use of pills as part of the wider allegory.
In one of the movie's most famous scenes, Neo is offered a red pill or a blue pill by the rebel leader Morpheus.
He decides to choose the red one, which will allow him to see the truth, rather than the blue one, which will keep him in ignorance.
The pill is his "gateway to seeing the world as it is and the systems built to define and control his identity" and is also "an apt metaphor for hormone therapy," one message in the thread says.
Wachowski said that she was glad people are speaking about the trans narrative in the "Matrix" movies.
"I love how meaningful those films are to trans people and the way that they come up to me and say: 'These movies saved my life,'" she told Netflix.
The upcoming "Matrix 4" will see the return of original cast members Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. It is to be directed by Lana Wachowski.

The Wachowski message was even more clear in Sense8 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68638-Sense8)

[GeneChing]

Laurence Fishburne Explains Why He Won’t Appear in ‘The Matrix 4 (https://www.thewrap.com/laurence-fishburne-explains-why-he-wont-appear-in-the-matrix-4/)’
“I wish them well. I hope it’s great,” Fishburne said
Trey Williams | August 17, 2020 @ 10:14 AM

https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Laurence-Fishburne.jpg
Getty Images

Laurence Fishburne will not take another trip down the rabbit hole. The actor told New York Magazine that he “has not been invited” to reprise his iconic role in Lana Wachowski’s “The Matrix” sequel.

“I have not been invited. Maybe that will make me write another play. I wish them well. I hope it’s great,” Fishburne told the publication.

Of his role as Morpheus in the original “The Matrix” trilogy, Fishburne said: “It is probably the role that I’ll be best remembered for, which is great; it’s not the only thing I’ll be remembered for, which is better. What I get with him is I’ve got Darth Vader in this hand, and I’ve got Obi-Wan in that hand. I’ve got Bruce Lee, I’ve got Muhammad Ali shuffled in there, and I’ve got kung fu.”

The plot, and details of the still-untitled sequel have been kept under wraps, but it’s expected to continue from the original trilogy. It’s unclear where it would pick up, but one reason Fishburne’s red pill, blue pill wielding character wouldn’t appear in “The Matrix 4” might be because he dies of gunshot wounds in “The Matrix Online,” a multiplayer online role-playing game that the Wachowskis blessed as a continuation of the films’ storyline. Though popular belief suggests that his death was faked.

Lana Wachowski is directing “The Matrix” sequel from a script she penned with Aleksandar Hemon (“Sense8”) and David Mitchell (“Sense8”). Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Jada Pinkett-Smith are reprising their roles from the original trilogy, and the film has added big names such as Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Neil Patrick Harris.

In June, as a result of delays from the coronavirus shutdown, Warner Bros. said it was halting the 2021 release of the film, pushing it to spring 2022.

The three previous films in the franchise — “The Matrix” from 1999, “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” both from 2003 – have earned more than $1.6 billion at the global box office and were all top-10 domestic hits in their respective years of release.

“It’s the old story in a modern context,” Fishburne said of “The Matrix.” “It’s the One, the Christ, the Buddha, the Godhead, the fully realized being told through the digital age.”

A gentlemanly response.

[GeneChing]

In all fairness, Lilly probably didn't know back then when she was Andy. She was probably sorting it out for herself at the time too.



Keanu Reeves Didn’t Know The Matrix Was a Trans Allegory (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/08/keanu-reeves-the-matrix-trans-allegory)
“I miss her,” Reeves said of Matrix codirector Lilly Wachowski, who revealed the film’s deeper meaning in a recent interview.
BY YOHANA DESTA
AUGUST 27, 2020

https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/5d5c6a5cbfb924000858dca7/master/w_2560%2Cc_limit/MSDMATR_EC080.jpg
COURTESY OF WARNER BROS/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION.

Two decades after The Matrix was originally released, codirector and cowriter Lilly Wachowski finally revealed the franchise was a trans allegory. “That was the original intention,” she told Netflix in August, adding that she kept mum about it largely because the “corporate world wasn’t ready for it.” The revelation isn’t new to superfans of The Matrix, who have long viewed the film through that particular allegorical lens after Lilly and her sister, Matrix codirector and writer Lana, came out as trans after the franchise wrapped up. But it’s brand new to star Keanu Reeves, who played Neo in the series.

In an interview with Variety, Reeves said he wasn’t aware about the film’s allegorical nature.

“No. That idea wasn’t introduced to me when we started for production on the films,” he said. “Lilly never shared that with me.”

Reeves is currently in Berlin filming the fourth Matrix movie, directed by Lana; Lilly is not formally involved in the production. In the Variety interview, Reeves clarified that he hasn’t watched her Netflix interview, so he doesn’t know the finer details of the concept. “I haven’t seen her interview or anything or read what she’s spoken about on it, [but] I miss her,” he said. “I miss her not being here, but I get it as well.”

In the Netflix interview, Lilly gave rare insight into the billion-dollar film franchise, which starred Reeves as a hacker trapped in a simulated version of reality, known as the Matrix. The narrative “was all about the desire for transformation, but it was all coming from a closeted point of view,” Lilly said, confirming fan theories.

“I don’t know how present my transness was in the background of my brain as we were writing it,” Lilly added. “We were always living in a world of imagination. That’s why I gravitated toward sci-fi and fantasy and played Dungeons and Dragons. It was all about creating worlds. It freed us up as filmmakers because we were able to imagine stuff at that time that you didn’t necessarily see onscreen.”

Elements of The Matrix have become woven into broader popular culture, from poppier elements like its cyberpunk aesthetic, to its gravity-defying special effects. The alt-right, however, has co-opted the concept of the red pill, to the degree that Ivanka Trump and Elon Musk both tweeted about it in May. Lilly, who has largely stayed quiet about the co-opting, quickly got on Twitter and issued a sharp retort to the duo. “**** both of you,” she tweeted.

The fourth Matrix film will see Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith return to the fold, alongside franchise newcomers like Neil Patrick Harris, Jonathan Groff, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. (Laurence Fishburne, who played Morpheus, told Vulture he would not be joining the cast.) “The writers [David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon] and the director [Lana] have come up with a beautiful, beautiful story,” Reeves told Variety. “It’s really thrilling to be making a Matrix movie.”

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dRzQIaAjSM

threads
Godzilla-vs-Kong (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71975-Godzilla-vs-Kong)
Suicide-Squad-2 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71225-Suicide-Squad-2)
http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71437-Mortal-Kombat-2021-reboot
Matrix-4 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70161-Matrix-4)

[GeneChing]

Christina Ricci Joins Star-Studded The Matrix 4 Cast (https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1176920-christina-ricci-joins-star-studded-the-matrix-4-cast)
BY ANTHONY NASH ON JUNE 5, 2021
https://www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1205214961-768x512.jpg
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The Matrix 4 may not have an official name or much information, but its cast is beginning to round out.

According to a recent casting announcement from Warner Bros. (via Collider), Christina Ricci is the latest actress to land a role in the highly anticipated sequel. Details of her character remain unknown, but she’ll join an already star-studded cast in a film that has high aspirations.

The Matrix 4 will be featuring the return of Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith, reprising their iconic roles as Neo, Trinity, and Niobe. The film will also star newcomers Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jessica Henwick, Neil Patrick Harris, Toby Onwumere, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who is rumored to be playing young Morpheus. It was recently teased that should scheduling work out, Lambert Wilson could possibly return for The Matrix 4 as the villain, the Merovingian.

Plot details on the fourth live-action film in The Matrix franchise haven’t been revealed, and given the ending of 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions it’s not a clear-cut answer.

The three previous films—The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), and The Matrix Revolutions (2003)—have earned more than $1.6 billion at the global box office and were all top-10 domestic hits in their respective years of release. The Matrix Revolutions was also the first film ever to release simultaneously in every major country at the same hour around the world.

Originally scheduled for a May 21, 2021 release, The Matrix 4 has now been pushed back to December 22, 2021, due to the temporary production shutdown caused by the ongoing pandemic.

I approve.

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ix7TUGVYIo

[GeneChing]

Sep 22, 2021 7:38am PT
‘The Matrix Resurrections’ to Have U.S. Premiere in San Francisco (EXCLUSIVE) (https://variety.com/2021/film/columns/the-matrix-resurrections-keanu-reeves-michelle-obama-jessica-chastain-john-legend-1235070800/)

By Marc Malkin
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Screen-Shot-2021-09-07-at-10.01.20-AM.jpg
Screengrab courtesy of Warner Bros.
Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.”

It sounds like Michelle Obama will appear on the final season of “Black-ish.” After star Anthony Anderson teased the possibility when I caught up with him at the Television Academy’s pre-Emmy party for performer nominees, sources tell me that the former first lady’s appearance isn’t a done deal just yet, but they’re close to finalizing the details any day now.

…

I’m also hearing that after Keanu Reeves was seen shooting “The Matrix Resurrections” in the Bay Area, sources tell me that Warner Bros. will hold the film’s U.S. premiere in San Francisco on Dec. 18. Details, including the location, are still being worked on. The fourth installment of the sci-fi film franchise sees the return of Reeves as well as Carrie-Anne Moss. Directed and co-written by Lana Wachowski, the new cast includes Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christina Ricci and Jonathan Groff. “The Matrix Resurrections” will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22.

Oh man. Here's a premiere I'd love to get into.

[GeneChing]

...fingers crossed for a press pass...



Exclusive: ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ to hold U.S. premiere at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre (https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/exclusive-matrix-resurrections-to-hold-u-s-premiere-at-san-franciscos-castro-theatre)
G. Allen Johnson December 3, 2021Updated: December 3, 2021, 3:47 pm

https://s3.amazonaws.com/sfc-datebook-wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/MERa40527ce540638351dbd6cc74a807_matrix0909_ph2-1024x422.jpg
Keanu Reeves walks the streets of San Francisco in “The Matrix Resurrections,” which will make its world premiere at the Castro Theatre on Dec. 18. It will open in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
The fourth installment of the “Matrix” film franchise, and the first in 18 years, is scheduled to make its U.S. premiere at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre on Dec. 18 — four days ahead of its Dec. 22 release in theaters and on HBO Max.

Director Lana Wachowski, who is said to be a fan of the venue, and stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jada Pinkett Smith and Neil Patrick Harris are among those expected to attend the event at the 1,400-seat movie palace that first opened in 1922.

Variety first reported that the premiere would be in San Francisco before a venue was chosen, but a person intimately involved in planning discussions among the Castro Theatre, the city of San Francisco and Warner Bros. confirmed the venue’s participation with The Chronicle on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak about the premiere.

Warner Bros. declined to comment on this story.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/sfc-datebook-wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/MER226aab75b4e0fb43944b9b2763631_PRIDE0606_LANDMAR KSSB-1024x683.jpg
The Castro Theatre will be the site of the U.S. premiere of “The Matrix Resurrections.”
Photo: Stephen Lam / The Chronicle
Tickets for the premiere are not available to the general public, but there will be a “fan zone” near the red carpet where the public can see the film’s stars in person. There are also plans for a display that involves “outside image projection,” the source said. The Castro and Warner Bros. are in “many conversations” with the city about the logistics of the event, including security and street closures, which would include blocking off Castro Street.

Chronicle Quiz: Can you name these San Francisco spots from the ‘Matrix Resurrections’ trailer?

The idea for the original “Matrix” (1999), one of the most influential science fiction films of all time, was inspired by San Francisco, and “The Matrix Resurrections” was shot extensively in the city in the months before the pandemic began. Cameras were spotted in Chinatown and North Beach and at a downtown BART station, and some action sequences around Montgomery and Sansome streets involved Reeves and Moss.

The film makes extensive use of “White Rabbit,” a song released in 1967 on the Jefferson Airplane album “Surrealistic Pillow.” The band got its start in San Francisco in 1965 at a club on Fillmore Street called, yes, the Matrix.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgYs_NDyaLs

G. Allen Johnson
G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ajohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BRfilmsAllen

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tqzzy45-_g

[GeneChing]

Red Pill or Blue? - READ THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS: When Logic and Proportion Have Fallen Sloppy Dead (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1621) by Gene Ching

http://www.kungfumagazine.com//admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/images/ezine/2797_Matrix-Resurrections_Lead.jpg

[GeneChing]

Sep 29, 2022 9:15am PT
Danny Boyle to Direct Dance Adaptation of ‘The Matrix’ (https://variety.com/2022/legit/global/danny-boyle-dance-adaptation-the-matrix-1235388106/)
By K.J. Yossman
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Collage-Maker-29-Sep-2022-04.49-PM.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1&resize=681%2C383
©Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

Danny Boyle is set to direct a dance adaptation of 1999 sci-fi blockbuster “The Matrix.”

Titled “Free Your Mind,” the Warner Bros. Theater Ventures-licensed project is set to debut next October at Factory International, a new arts venue in Manchester, U.K. The production, described as a “large-scale immersive performance,” will serve as the venue’s inaugural show.

“Combining the hip-hop choreography of hundreds of dancers with the latest immersive design, ‘Free Your Mind’ will take audiences on a thrilling journey through ‘The Matrix’ and into a new realm of possibilities,” reads the logline.

“This eye-opening production will stretch across the building’s ultra-flexible spaces, responding to them and harnessing the collective energy of the moment.”

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Collage-Maker-29-Sep-2022-05.23-PM.jpg?resize=681,383
‘Free Your Mind’ Jeremy Coysten @northdesign courtesy of Factory International
It is an unusual move for Boyle, who won an Oscar for “Slumdog Millionaire,” but not totally unexpected. He has turned his hand to a variety of projects over the course of his career, including directing the Olympic Games opening ceremony for the London 2012 games, which involved corralling 7,500 volunteers as well as professional performs in a series of musical and dance numbers. As part of the ceremony, Boyle also famously directed Queen Elizabeth II and Daniel Craig in a James Bond-themed skit.

Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante is composing the music for the dance show while Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy is choreographing. Boyle’s longtime collaborator Tracey Seaward will produce. Poet playwright Sabrina Mahfouz (“Noughts & Crosses”) and artist Es Devlin are also on board to write and provide large scale sculptures, respectively. The show was commissioned by Factory International.

“The Matrix,” directed by the Wachowskis, was first released in 1999 and spawned three sequels. The most recent, “The Matrix Resurrections,” launched last year.
I'd watch this...

[GeneChing]

I'll split this into an indie thread later, when it gets closer.


Apr 3, 2024 9:30am PT
‘Matrix 5’ in the Works With Drew Goddard as Director, Lana Wachowski as Executive Producer (https://variety.com/2024/film/news/matrix-5-lana-wachowski-executive-producing-1235959174/)

By Rebecca Rubin
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MCDMARE_EC044.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1&resize=1000%2C563
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

Warner Bros. is going back to the Matrix.

The studio announced that a fifth “Matrix” movie is in development. It’ll be the first installment without Lana or Lily Wachowski as directors. Instead, “The Martian” screenwriter Drew Goddard will handle filmmaking duties. He will also write the script and produce with his partner at Goddard Textiles, Sarah Esberg. Lana Wachowski, who helmed the most recent “Matrix” installment, 2021’s “Resurrections,” is attached as an executive producer.

It’s not clear who from the “Matrix” universe — Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss have anchored all of the prior movies as Neo and Trinity, while Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris and Priyanka Chopra Jonas joined in the most recent iteration — will return.

Plot details haven’t been revealed, but Warner Bros. Motion Pictures president of production Jesse Ehrman teases that the story will advance the fantasy world without straying too far from what made the series a success.

“Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the Matrix world, by both honoring what Lana and Lilly began over 25 years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters,” Ehrman said in a statement. “The entire team at Warner Bros. Discovery is thrilled for Drew to be making this new ‘Matrix’ film, adding his vision to the cinematic canon the Wachowskis’ spent a quarter of a century building here at the studio.”

Goddard was nominated for an Oscar for writing “The Martian,” the sci-fi adaptation directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon. His other feature film credits include writing “Cloverfield” and “World War Z” and serving as writer-director on “The Cabin in the Woods” and “Bad Times at the El Royale.”

“It is not hyperbole to say ‘The Matrix’ films changed both cinema and my life,” Goddard said. “Lana and Lilly’s exquisite artistry inspires me on a daily basis, and I am beyond grateful for the chance to tell stories in their world.”

“The Matrix,” which kicked off the franchise in 1999, is considered one of the most influential science-fiction movies of all time. It inspired three sequels, 2003’s “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” and 2021’s “The Matrix Resurrections.” The fourth installment, which arrived after an 18-year gap and was the first to be directed solely by Lana, was a massive box office disappointment. That’s partly because “The Matrix Resurrections,” like Warner Bros. entire 2021 slate, was available simultaneously on HBO Max for no extra charge. It grossed just $159 million worldwide against its $190 million budget.