One of Hollywood’s biggest sliding doors moments involves Will Smith turning down the role of Neo in The Matrix. Judging by his recent Instagram post, Smith might get another shot in the battle of man versus machine.
Smith posted a cryptic message on his Instagram. “In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix,” the message reads. “Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him 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 you…”
Is this a casting announcement for The Matrix 5? Should we expect Smith to act in the next Matrix film? Nothing is official. This could all be a PR ruse to promote a product or another project. However, Smith is no stranger to nostalgic roles. Last year, he headlined Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth film in the franchise. Smith also plans to star in I Am Legend 2 alongside Michael B. Jordan.
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Will Smith has released a cryptic post teasing that he may be starring in a new ‘MATRIX’ movie. pic.twitter.com/pyzTQ5k7Ah
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 6, 2025
In 2019, Smith posted a YouTube video to explain why he turned down a role in The Matrix to star in Wild Wild West. After making Men in Black, a movie Smith initially passed on, the Wachowskis pitched The Matrix to the Fresh Prince himself. Smith didn’t connect with the pitch and ultimately passed on the role, which he admittedly regrets. Smith mentioned that if he played Neo, Val Kilmer was being eyed to star as Morpheus. Smith turned down The Matrix, and Kilmer didn’t play Morpheus, opening the door for Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne to step in.
In April 2024, Warner Bros. tapped Drew Goddard to write and direct a new Matrix movie, marking the first entry in the franchise without a Wachowski directing. However, Lana Wachowski will be an executive producer on The Matrix 5.
After the Matrix trilogy, the fourth film, The Matrix Resurrections, was released in 2021. Resurrections failed to churn a profit, grossing $159 million against a $190 million budget. The polarizing film was controversially released in theaters and on Max the same day, which negatively affected the box office total.