It’s no secret that Will Smith was the favorite to star in The Matrix. Released in 1999, the sci-fi film turned into a pop culture milestone and changed blockbuster cinema. Smith but declined the offer and instead made one of the biggest flops of his career: Wild Wild West.
25 years later, it looks like he’s making up for this wrong decision – at least that’s what a new video on an Instagram account that shows the Hollywood star with a upcoming Matrix project brings. But will Smith actually star in the announced Matrix 5? Many fans are speculating.
What’s behind Will Smith’s cryptic Matrix video?
Smith posted a short video on Instagram on Monday that features red writing against a black background. Similar to how Neo was contacted in the first Matrix film, the video tells the following story:
In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith refused. He chose Wild Wild West because he felt the role suited him better at the time. But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo? Wake up, Will… The Matrix has got you…
You can watch the Instagram video here:
Here you will find external content from Instagramwhich complements the article. You can display it and hide it again with one click.
Will Smith be Neo in The Matrix? The timing could actually be right. Warner Bros. announced a new film in the sci-fi franchise last year, written by Cabin in the Woods director Drew Goddard. After all the meta-commentary in Matrix Resurrections and the multiverse trend, the idea sounds plausible.
Could there actually be something to the cryptic teaser? Variety and the Hollywood Reporter checked with their sources and found out that currently no Matrix film with Will Smith in the works located. Whatever Smith announced with his video: it has nothing to do with Drew Goddard’s Matrix film.
Is Will Smith’s Matrix video just a Super Bowl spot?
Pop culture journalist Germain Lussier suggests on X (formerly Twitter) that it may be one Teaser for a commercial which will be shown at the Super Bowl. It is not uncommon for these spots to use film and series references to draw attention to a product.
Here you will find external content from Twitterwhich complements the article. You can display it and hide it again with one click.
In 2023, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul returned to the camera as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, so that Breaking Bad fans hoped for a brief moment to see a new chapter in the drug gangster series. In the end, it was only a two-minute spot for a snack brand.
We don’t currently know what’s really behind Will Smith’s Matrix video. A resolution will surely follow in the next few days and we will find out what the star has secretly prepared behind the scenes. We will keep you informed about further updates and developments.