The cherished "Matrix" film series is expanding with an upcoming fifth chapter, with Lana Wachowski, one of the original co-writers and co-directors, at the helm as executive producer.
As per a statement from the movie's studio Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group issued on Wednesday, Drew Goddard, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, will handle both writing and directing duties for the film alongside his producing partner Sarah Esberg. (Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group falls under Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company.)
Jesse Ehrman, President of Production at Warner Bros. Motion Pictures, remarked in a statement on Wednesday that Goddard "pitched a fresh concept to Warner Bros. that we all believe would be an extraordinary continuation of the Matrix universe, while also paying homage to what Lana and Lilly (Wachowski) initiated more than 25 years ago and providing a distinctive viewpoint influenced by his own affection for the series and its characters."
Specifics regarding the storyline and casting, including whether Keanu Reeves, the star of the "Matrix" franchise, will reprise his role as the iconic character Neo, have yet to be disclosed.
A spokesperson for Reeves did not promptly respond to CNN's inquiry about the new endeavor.
Goddard made his directorial debut with the acclaimed horror film "The Cabin in the Woods" in 2011 and later scripted and executive produced "The Martian" in 2015, earning an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay in the process.
"The Matrix" premiered in 1999 and features Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, and Carrie-Anne Moss. The dystopian science fiction saga follows Neo (Reeves), a computer hacker who is beckoned to join a rebellion against cyber-intelligence after uncovering that humanity is ensnared within a simulated reality known as the Matrix.
The inaugural film, now a classic, grossed over $467 million at the box office and emerged as one of the most profitable theatrical releases of the year. It garnered four Academy Awards and spawned three sequels, including "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions" in 2003, and "The Matrix Resurrections" in 2021.
Throughout the franchise's 25-year existence, it has amassed nearly $2 billion in global earnings, as per the studio.
