Ahead of its release at the tail end of 2021, the full cast for The Matrix 4 has now been revealed: here's everyone involved in Resurrections and who they could be playing. Later this year, the Matrix universe will open up once more with the release of a belated fourth movie, directed by Lana Wachowski and with Keanu Reeves returning as Neo. Despite the Wachowskis' assertions in the wake of the release of The Matrix Revolutions that they had no desire to make another entry and the greenlighting of a spin-off from Zak Penn, the fourth installment in the high-concept sci-fi series will land almost two decades after the trilogy ended.
For all of the rumors about reboots and spin-offs, The Matrix: Resurrections will be a continuation, and joining the Chosen One will be original trilogy stars Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, Lambert Wilson as The Merovingian, and Jada Pinkett-Smith who is set to once more play Niobe. There have also been confirmations that neither Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith) or Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus) will return to reprise their roles, while Joe Pantoliano's attempts to revive Cypher apparently fell on deaf ears. The first trailer suggests a sort of reboot, with Neo unaware of his past, but haunted by deja vu.
Those returning stars will not be the only cast members, of course, and director Lana Wachowski's promise that The Matrix 4 will be "absolutely crazy" will be delivered in part by a raft of new actors and, presumably, wholly new characters. Though, if rumors are to be believed, there may be some familiar names attached to the incoming actors. But who are the new stars who have been cast?
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II As Morpheus
Watchmen star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II joined the cast of The Matrix Resurrections in October 2019 in what was called an unknown lead role after Lana Wachowski spent several days meeting with potential actors. After breaking out in Netflix's The Get Down, Abdul-Mateen went onto roles in the likes of The Greatest Showman, Aquaman, Watchmen, Candyman and the upcoming sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Quite who he's playing in The Matrix 4 has been a matter of serious debate, with early persistent rumors that he would be playing a young Morpheus in Fishburne's absence countered by claims that he would only be linked to the character as either a son or nephew. The first trailer for The Matrix: Resurrections settled the matter by confirming that Mateen will be playing Young Morpheus after all, after he was shown seemingly guiding Neo out of his ignorance to the Matrix. With Fishburne reportedly having not been asked back for The Matrix 4, it remains to be seen why exactly the sequel's plot requires a younger version of the iconic human resistance leader.
Neil Patrick Harris
Having gained plaudits as not one but three separate great TV characters (Doogie Howser, Barney Stinson, and Count Olaf), Neil Patrick Harris joined the cast of The Matrix Resurrections as its second new addition in October 2019. Again, his role was, inevitably, kept under wraps, but the trailer revealed that Harris would be playing Keanu Reeves' character Thomas' therapist within the Matrix simulation. Presumably there will be more to his character.
Harris has been tied up with making A Series Of Unfortunate Events for Netflix in recent years but has sporadically appeared in films, including A Million Ways To Die In The West, Gone Girl and Downsizing to somewhat varied responses. He has The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent opposite Nic Cage coming up as well as Anita, the biopic focused on former beauty queen and singer Anita Bryant. As for who he's really playing, one theory, based on his work as Count Olaf, suggests that Neil Patrick Harris will be playing the villain of The Matrix 4, perhaps as a replacement for the absent Agent Smith. Could his role as therapist be hiding his control over Neo? He certainly does seem to be dismissive of Neo's concerns.
Jessica Henwick
Iron Fist's Jessica Henwick was the third in a quick-fire round of casting announcements in October 2019, joining The Matrix Resurrections in another unnamed role. Given her history playing Colleen Wing for Netflix's MCU arm, logic would point towards her playing an action-oriented character.
The casting announcement suggested Henwick's would be a lead role, with some buzz of her being a "Neo-like character", so it may be that she and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II lead The Matrix 4 initially in the absence of Keanu Reeves' Neo and Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity, who are presumably still dead. She sports a white rabbit tattoo in the trailer, suggesting she might be part of Neo's journey of discovery. Henwick's break came in Iron Fist, and after a quiet period following that show's cancellation, she appeared in Underwater opposite Kristen Stewart and jointed the monster fight for 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong. She's also been added to the predictably star-studded cast of hotly anticipated sequel Knives Out 2.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Quantico breakout star Priyanka Chopra Jonas is another of the new intake of actors for The Matrix 4 and, again, details on her role are under wraps for now. However, no firm mention of her being a lead character accompanied her announcement. Chopra Jonas made history starring in Quantico, as the first Indian-born actor to star in the lead of a primetime network series. Her work drew considerable acclaim and a People's Choice Award. Of course, Quantico followed a lengthy career in Indian film, so she was by no means a rookie.
Her success also led to a role in Amazon TV show Citadel opposite Richard Madden, which had threatened to stop her accepting the part in The Matrix 4. Scheduling conflict worked out, she is free to join the cast in a mystery role. Based on The Matrix Resurrections trailer though, many are theorizing that she plays a grown-up version of Sati, who played a vital role in rebooting the Matrix at the end of Revolutions. If that's true, she's probably the new incarnation of the Oracle, and can help Neo once again learn his true destiny.