Brian J Smith will star in The Matrix 4.
The American actor is best known for his roles in television shows Sense8, Treadstone, World On Fire, Gossip Girl and SGU Stargate Universe, as well as a Tony-nominated performance in the 2013 Broadway revival of The Glass Menagerie.
Another Sense8 star, Eréndira Ibarra, will also be featuring in the movie. It’s not surprising that two faces from the popular Netflix series have joined The Matrix 4, as both projects are helmed by Lana Wachowski.
They will star alongside Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss, who will reprise their iconic roles as Neo and Trinity while Lana Wachowski has returned to write and direct. Lilly Wachowski will not be involved in the project.
The Matrix 4 was announced back in August by Toby Emmerich of Warner Bros. Picture Group.
“We could not be more excited to be re-entering ‘The Matrix’ with Lana,” he said. “Lana is a true visionary — a singular and original creative filmmaker — and we are thrilled that she is writing, directing and producing this new chapter.”
The first instalment in The Matrix franchise premiered in 1999 to universal acclaim; it grossed over $460 million worldwide, won four Academy Awards and is often regarded as one of the greatest science-fiction films of all time.
The success of the film spawned two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both of which were massive successes at the box office but failed to replicate the critical reception of the original.
The franchise also starred Laurence Fishburne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Harold Perrineau, Harry Lennix, Anthony Zerbe, Clayton Watson, Ian Bliss, Nathaniel Lees, David Roberts, Hugo Weaving and Collin Chou.
“Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now,” said Lilly. “I’m very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends.”
The Matrix 4 will begin production February 2020.