Laurence Fishburne drops bombshell about Matrix 4 snub
Laurence Fishburne has explained his absence from The Matrix Resurrections, revealing that his offer to return was rejected.
The actor, who played Morpheus in the original trilogy, was a notable absence from the divisive fourth instalment, which reunited Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II played a younger version of Morpheus in the 2021 film – and, according to Fishburne, he was turned down when he said he was up for starring in the film.
'I offered my services to the fourth Matrix, and they didn't respond well to that,' Fishburne said during an appearance on The View, adding that 'for whatever reason', they rejected his offer.
'It's not like I didn't say, 'I'd like to offer my services.' I did,' the actor added, without naming who it was who said no.
A fifth Matrix film is in the works from Cabin the Woods director Drew Goddard, who is succeeding Lana Wachowski as director.
When asked if he'd reprise the role of Morpheus for the next instalment, Fishburne said it 'depended on the circumstances' surrounding 'who was involved' and 'how well the script has been written'.
Fishburne shared his view on The Matrix Resurrections shortly after its release, telling Variety: 'It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. But I thought Carrie-Anne and Keanu really did their thing. Yeah, that's what I thought.'
In response to being asked if he 'missed out', he said: 'No, not really.'
Fisburne previously addressed his absence from the project, which was written and directed by Lana Wachowski, in a New York Magazine interview, in which he stated: 'I wish them well. I hope it's great.'
He added that while it's 'great' that Morpheus is 'probably the role that I'll be best remembered for', it is 'not the only thing I'll be remembered for, which is better'.
The Matrix Resurrections was the first in the franchise since 2003's The Matrix Revolutions.
There was speculation that Morpheus's absence from the sequel was a result of the events of The Matrix Online, a video game in which the character was killed.
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The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Manhattan's West Village Girl plague has already spread to Scotland
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So if the weekly warnings about the dire state of Scotland's NHS are anything to go on, I reckon we could see a few more Blank Streets in the city this year. Marissa MacWhirter is a columnist and feature writer at The Herald, and the editor of The Glasgow Wrap. The newsletter is curated between 5-7am each morning, bringing the best of local news to your inbox each morning without ads, clickbait, or hyperbole. Oh, and it's free. She can be found on X @marissaamayy1
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
White Lotus star breaks down in tears as he finally addresses feud with co-star
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Wales Online
8 hours ago
- Wales Online
Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins on ‘ridiculous' feud rumours
Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins on 'ridiculous' feud rumours There has been speculation that the two co-stars had drifted apart after being on the HBO show, which follows the lives of guests and staff at a luxury resort as dark secrets are revealed and tensions rise over the course of the holiday White Lotus star Walton Goggins tearfully breaks silence on unfollowing Aimee Lou Wood (Image: HBO/SKY ) The White Lotus co-stars Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins have both denied rumours that either of them are in a feud as "ridiculous". There has been speculation that the two co-stars had drifted apart after being on the HBO show, which follows the lives of guests and staff at a luxury resort as dark secrets are revealed and tensions rise over the course of the holiday. The third series sees the positive Chelsea, played by British actress Wood, 31, try to keep her mysterious older boyfriend, Rick, played by 53-year-old US actor Goggins, calm in Thailand. Following the 2025 series, Goggins appeared to step away from his fellow co-stars, and unfollow Greater Manchester-born Wood on Instagram. They both addressed the swirling rumours during a joint interview for US publication Variety, which was published on Wednesday. Goggins said: "There is no feud. I adore, I love this woman (Aimee) madly, and she is so important to me." Article continues below He added that "she's special", and explained he had not addressed the reports before as he did not want to talk about Wood when she was not there. "I think it's such a comment on where we're at culturally. Why is everyone obsessing over Instagram? That is irrelevant. We don't give a shite about Instagram," Wood said. Goggins said that when he finished The White Lotus he "needed to just back away from everyone", as it is his "process" when filming a project ends. "It's all so ridiculous," he said. "It's just a part of me just saying goodbye to this character so that now Aimee and I will be friends for f****** ever." Wood previously criticised a Saturday Night Live sketch, with an cast member impersonating her with exaggerated prosthetic teeth, calling it "mean and unfunny" on Instagram. She told Variety that it "felt misogynistic. It felt like the punchline was a woman's appearance, which is just not funny. It's not cool". Goggins shared the same sketch online and praised Jon Hamm for playing a version of his character, before deleting the Instagram post, ahead of hosting SNL> He said he was "gonna say it (something) to your face", and added: "I don't use social media in any way, and I'm not a mean guy." SNL apologised for the April sketch, according to Wood, and the comedian and cast member who impersonated her, Sarah Sherman, sent her flowers to apologise. Wood is also known for Netflix teen show Sex Education, BBC comedy Daddy Issues and the 2022 drama film Living with Bill Nighy. Goggins has been in Western series Justified, post-apocalyptic series Fallout, and drama Sons Of Anarchy. Article continues below He has had two Emmy nods, while Wood has won a TV Bafta for Sex Education and been given a Rising Star Bafta nomination.
