There were plenty of rumours leading up to the release of The Matrix Resurrections that it would be the first part of a new Matrix trilogy, but the lackluster box office may have put an end to any thoughts of a sequel.
Since its release last month, The Matrix Resurrections has grossed $107 million worldwide on a reported $190 million budget. To be fair, the sequel was also available to stream on HBO Max which obviously cut into the theatrical audience. Viewership numbers haven’t been revealed but it’s been said that The Matrix Resurrections is among “the top five most viewed HBO Max movies.” Keanu Reeves had only signed a one-picture deal which is a pretty good indication that a sequel to The Matrix Resurrections was never going to be a sure thing. The film’s heavily meta storyline has also proved to be divisive, but it did open the door for further exploration of the franchise.
Although a Matrix Resurrections sequel may seem unlikely at this point, there had also been rumours that an HBO Max spinoff series revolving around Bugs (Jessica Henwick) was a possibility. “I loved playing Bugs,” Henwick told THR at the premiere. “I would love to see where she goes. I think she’s validated in this film because [my character] believes that Neo is alive and that comes true. So yeah, I would definitely love to revisit her.” According to HBO Max insiders, there is no series in development at this time. The Matrix Resurrections director and co-writer Lana Wachowski has said that the film wasn’t meant to kick off a new trilogy, but given that Warner Bros. was going to move ahead on a sequel with or without her involvement, it’s a safe bet that the studio is going to do whatever they want with the franchise.
You can check out a review of The Matrix Resurrections from our own JimmyO, and be sure to let us know what you thought of the film as well! Would you like to see a sequel to The Matrix Resurrections or should it stand alone as a coda to the original trilogy?