Summary

The Matrix 5 has the potential to answer lingering questions and maintain the tone set by the original trilogy.
At the end of The Matrix Resurrections, Neo and Trinity embark on a mission to change the Matrix, possibly facing off with Agent Smith once more.
Characters like Bugs and the Oracle could provide intriguing storylines in The Matrix 5, while the history of human-machine relationships could be referenced.

The confirmed sequel The Matrix 5 has the potential to answer questions created by the most recent Matrix movie, as well as the original trilogy. The Wachowski Sisters' cyberpunk reality-bending movie franchise has been a staple of the sci-fi genre for more than two decades, inspiring other properties with machine uprising and chosen one stories. The Matrix was also groundbreaking in special effects and stunt coordination, setting the bar for fight scenes in its time. The original trilogy was followed by a legacy sequence in 2021 — however, there are still stories left for the Matrix franchise to tell.

The Matrix 5 is moving forward without the Wachowskis directing, meaning that the next Matrix sequel has a lot to live up to. Perhaps the best way for director Drew Goddard to win over fans is to answer their burning, long-standing questions about The Matrix and resolve old storylines.

Lana Wachowski will serve as executive producer on The Matrix 5.

A composite image of Keanu Reeves as Neo looking on and walking on a rainy street in The Matrix Revolutions

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8 Who Is The Analyst's Boss In The Matrix Resurrections?

It is not clear who the Analyst of the Matrix is working for.

The Analyst (Neil Patrick Harris) serves as the main villain of Resurrections. The Architect (Helmut Bakaitis) was previously the apparent leading force in the hierarchy of the Matrix, but the Analyst has taken control of the Matrix from the Architect. The Analyst ocassionally mentions "the suits," whom he had to convince to let him resurrect Neo and Trinity and allow him to remain in the Matrix after he loses control over them. This seems to imply that there is a corporate structure of machines in the real world that make decisions about what happens in the Matrix.

How exactly the Analyst usurped the Matrix from the Architect is glossed over, but he might have convinced "the suits" to make this happen. Yet the exact nature of whomever the Analyst answers to is also an enigma. If The Matrix 5 wants to expand the setting, answering these questions about who exactly is leading the machines is an ideal place to start.

7 What Happened To The Kid After The Matrix Revolutions?

A character from the original Matrix movies is not mentioned in the legacy sequel.

The character known only as the Kid (Clayton Watson) first appears in The Matrix Reloaded. Kid was rescued from the Matrix by Neo and lived in Zion afterward. He idolized Neo and hoped to Morpheus' crew when he came of age. He helped fight and defend the rest of the population in the Battle for Zion and survives. After Neo's alleged death, Kid trained with Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and eventually became the captain of his own ship, called Neo's Hope. His backstory before Reloaded is also shown in the animated prequel of The Animatrix.

This is where Kid's known story ends. When Neo arrives at the free humans' sanctuary and reunites with Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) in Resurrections, they primarily discuss what Morpheus did for the rest of his life. This means that Kid's storyline remains untapped potential for The Matrix 5. He could appear again as an aged captain to fulfill the dream from his youth of becoming a part of Neo's crew. He also could have been captured and trapped in the Matrix again; in this case, he could play into the storyline of Neo and Trinity redeg the Matrix.

6 Will Bugs & Her Crew Continue To Help Neo & Trinity?

Bugs is loyal to Neo in The Matrix Resurrections and will probably still be an ally in the future.

Resurrections also introduces Bugs (Jessica Henwick), a human freed from the Matrix who went on to captain her own ship and crew, including the new version of Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). In Resurrections, Bugs is dedicated to finding Neo in the Matrix and just as committed to helping him rescue Trinity, even defying Niobe's orders not to do so. It would be out of character for Bugs and the rest of her crew to abandon Neo in the future as he undertakes a new mission.

There are a lot of interesting things The Matrix 5 could do with Bugs and her crew of humans and Synthients as they aid Neo and Trinity, perhaps acting as vigilante soldiers within the Matrix as it is rebuilt. Bugs and Morpheus might also be liaisons between Neo and Niobe in the future. Henwick and Abdul-Mateen both give performances that live up to the original Morpheus in different ways, and The Matrix 5 would be mistaken not to bring them back.

5 Will Agent Smith Be The Main Villain Again?

Agent Smith becomes a secondary villain in The Matrix Resurrections, but this could change again.

Smith once again becoming the main threat is the foundation of a solid plot for The Matrix 5, where Neo and Smith find themselves clashing again as they both try to control the Matrix.

Like with Morpheus, Resurrections features a new version of Agent Smith. Recasting worked better for Morpheus than Smith, as the real Morpheus died and Abdul-Mateen's character is a programmed version of Morpheus created from Neo's memories. On the other hand, Groff's Smith is supposed to be the same as Weaving's, who chooses to take on a new physical form for no other reason than the original actor could not return due to his schedule.

When the Matrix was redesigned by the Analyst, Smith lost the power of self-determination, the same as Neo. When Neo was awakened, Smith regained control. Smith saves Neo and Trinity at the end of Resurrections to preserve his freedom, but leaves them with the words, "Here our unexpected alliance ends." The iconic dynamic between Neo and Smith means that there will be an aftermath of this, possibly with Weaving returning.

Smith was once a rogue program that took over most of the Matrix, leading Neo and the other machines to broker a truce, so Neo could destroy Smith. Therefore, it is not implausible that Smith, who is still at large, will once again try to control the Matrix and remake it in his own image. Smith once again becoming the main threat is the foundation of a solid plot for The Matrix 5, where Neo and Smith find themselves clashing again as they both try to control the Matrix.

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4 Has Sati Fullfilled Her Purpose In The Matrix Franchise?

The Oracle believed that Sati had an important role to play.

Sati (Tanveer K. Atwal/Priyanka Chopra), an exiled program who is taken in and protected by the Oracle (Gloria Foster/Mary Alice) as a child, reappears as an adult in Resurrections. Sati is the daughter of two other programs, who smuggled her back into the Matrix. In the canonical video game Enter the Matrix, the Oracle says that she believes Sati is important to the future of both humans and machines.

Sati possibly fulfills the Oracle's prediction when she engineers the plan for Neo to rescue Trinity from the Matrix. However, she may still have a role to play in the future. As a woman, Sati has a somewhat omniscient persona: She knew that Neo and Trinity were alive for decades and discreetly monitored Neo. In of the narrative, she is almost like another Oracle. Yet she could still be vital in other ways in The Matrix 5.

3 Will The Synthients Ever Reference The Events Of The Animatrix?

The Synthient characters might be affected by what led to the first war.

Resurrections depicts a new era of human-machine relationships, where several machines known as Synthients are welcome of Bugs' crew. This creates more nuance in the story as it shows machines who can be characterized in different ways, similar to programs such as Sati or Smith. Additionally, the Wachowskis have established a backstory for the machine uprising that could be referenced and built upon in The Matrix 5.

In many ways, The Animatrix provides the best story possibilities for The Matrix 5. Two of the short films in this collection depict how the uprising that ultimately led to the creation of the Matrix was in part fueled by a court case where it was determined robots did not have the right to harm humans in self-defense. As the Matrix franchise introduces more sympathetic machine and program characters, there is the potential to write an even more complex story if one of them references these events, citing self-preservation as the ultimate cause of the war.

2 Could The Oracle Ever Come Back?

The Oracle is absent from The Matrix Resurrections, but could plausibly return.

When the Analyst rebooted Matrix was rebooted, the program known as the Oracle was deleted. If The Matrix 5 wants to feature the Oracle again, it would not be difficult to write a storyline where a new Oracle is created within the Matrix, perhaps using archived coding from the original Oracle as a basis. Since both actresses who played the Oracle have ed away, the Oracle would also have to be recast in the same manner as Morpheus and Smith.

However, if the producers find the right actor to play the new Oracle, she could provide a very interesting storyline in The Matrix 5. The most philosophical moments of the Matrix movies center on the debate of destiny vs. free will, and the Oracle plays a key role in this. She is ambiguous when discussing Neo's role as the One with him. At this point, the story has moved far beyond the concept of the One as it was originally written. Bringing the Oracle back to weigh in could lead to new discourse and revitalize the story's original themes.

Gloria Foster, the first actress to play the Oracle, ed away during the production of the original Matrix trilogy. This led to Mary Alice being cast in the role for The Matrix Revolutions. Alice ed away in 2022.

A custom image featuring Trinity, Neo, and Morpheus in front of a Matrix-inspired background

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1 How Do Neo & Trinity Change The Matrix?

Neo & Trinity plan to redesign the Matrix according to their ideology.

Neo and Trinity seem to be on an adventure to grant people free will, even within the simulated reality.

At the end of Resurrections, Neo and Trinity have freed themselves from the Analyst's control and their ability to manipulate the reality of the Matrix is stronger than ever. They meet with the Analyst one last time, where Trinity tells him: "We were on our way to remake your world" and "remind people what a free mind can do." The Matrix Revolutions' ending and the legacy sequel allude to humans who do not want to leave the Matrix. However, Neo and Trinity seem to be on an adventure to grant people free will, even within the simulated reality.

This will more than likely be the main plot of The Matrix 5, but there are several facets of it that could become compelling subplots. Humans who are satisfied with life in the Matrix but are still fighting back could become major characters. Neo and Trinity also have to figure out how the Agents and other programs fit into this world. Fans are apprehenseive about the next Matrix movie, but it will hopefully give these storylines satisfying conclusions.

The Matrix 5

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Director: Drew Goddard
Producers: Lana Wachowski
Franchise(s): The Matrix

The Matrix 5: The latest installment in The Matrix series continues the saga of Neo and his allies as they navigate a complex dystopian world. Tasked with a monumental mission, they confront new challenges that question the fabric of reality and humanity's place within it.