The Martian Adapted Screenplay nominee and The Cabin in the Woods filmmaker Drew Goddard has been set to write and direct a new Matrix movie at Warner Bros. with the franchise’s original co-scribe and co-director Lana Wachowski executive producing.
It’s still early days in regards to whether core castmembers Keanu Reeves, Carrie Anne-Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, and Jada Pinkett Smith are coming back.
Goddard will produce with partner Sarah Esberg (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk) via their Goddard Textiles banner.
Jesse Ehrman, Warner Bros. Motion Pictures President of Production said “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. 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.”
Said Goddard, “It is not hyperbole to say The Matrix films changed both cinema and my life. 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.”
For those who’ve never seen a Matrix movie, the original movie follows a computer hacker, beaten down by a humdrum day job, who is lured by beautiful stranger into a cyber underworld where a greater war is going on with the real world. The movie revolutionized filmmaking VFX with its 120 camera, bullet-time green screen action sequence.
Goddard, whose box office credits count $1.5 billion at the global box office, received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay of The Martian, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon. The pic notched six additional Oscar nominations including Best Picture, and also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture-Comedy. Goddard wrote such movies as Cloverfield and World War Z, and wrote and directed The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale.
Goddard began his career writing on the 90’s hit series Buffy The Vampire Slayer. His TV credits include Angel, Alias, Lost, Daredevil, and The Good Place.
Upcoming, Goddard wrote and will serve as an EP on Amazon MGM Studios Project Hail Mary, which Phil Lord and Chris Miller will direct and Ryan Gosling will headline.
Under his Goddard Textiles banner, he is currently in production on the ABC television series High Potential starring Kaitlin Olson.
Through four movies —The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Resurrections— have grossed $1.8 billion around the world. The franchise has won four Oscars.