FISHBURNE IS NOW OUT OF THE ‘MATRIX’
It won’t be that much of a reunion for the upcoming “Matrix” movie.
Even though his character Morpheus was such a major part of the first three Matrix” films, Laurence Fishburne will not be starring in the upcoming untitled sequel.
“I have not been invited,” the Emmy and Tony Awardwinning actor and producer revealed to The Wrap about the series’ fourth installment, which is in production.
“Maybe that will make me write another play,” he added, referencing when he was replaced in the third “Die Hard” film by Samuel L. Jackson and used his time to write the 1995 play “Riff Raff.”
Fishburne ultimately sued producers of “Die Hard With a Vengeance” for breach of contract and reportedly settled out of court before the case went to trial.
The New York City-raised, Augusta, Ga., native, who is currently producing and starring in ABC’s hit sitcom “black-ish,” has no hard feelings for the billiondollar grossing sci-fi franchise.
“I wish them well,” he said. “I hope it’s great.”
With the working title of “The Matrix 4,” the movie’s plot and other details are under wraps, but will star returning actors Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Jada Pinkett Smith, and also feature Neil Patrick Harris, Jonathan Groff, Yahya Abdul-Mateen
II, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Jessica Henwick.
Fishburne’s red pill, blue pill-wielding character previously died of gunshot wounds in The Matrix Online, a multiplayer video game that has been considered a continuation of the films’ story line.
But like in the movies, things may not be what they appear to be.
The production recently resumed shooting in Berlin and is reportedly set for an April 1, 2022, release through Warner Bros/Village Roadshow.
Of Morpheus, Fishburne said that the role “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,” he added.
Fishburne, who is also remembered as Furious Styles in “Boyz n the Hood” and rock ’n’ roll pioneer Ike Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” will reunite with Reeves in another hit franchise, the fourth and fifth “John Wick” installments.
In those blockbuster action films, he portrays the Bowery King.
The 59-year-old thespian’s next big project is narrating “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” which will be released via Audible on Sept. 10.