If The Matrix 5 has to happen, it needs to start from scratch

Earlier this week, news broke from Warner Bros. that The Matrix 5 was being developed by Netflix’s Daredevil creator Drew Goddard, causing a sigh of relief across the internet — including me. Own. Death is a good thing for a franchise, especially one that finally (at least thematically) ends like The Matrix: Resurrection, but unfortunately in a world where intellectual property is king, There is always money to be made. I know my complaints here won’t stop Warner Bros. from releasing a new one, but if a new movie has to come out, it needs to start from scratch.

Last month, March 31, three big things happened: Easter Sunday, Transvisibility Day, and the 25th anniversary of the release of the original “Matrix” movie. Only once in a generation can events like this happen at the same time, and it feels like the perfect way for The Matrix to celebrate such a big birthday, as there’s a distinctly Jesus-like figure in Neo, as well as a very purposeful trans character. themes that appear in the movie. The next two sequels weren’t as well-received, and 2021’s soft reboot Resurrection wasn’t well-received either, though all three have received critical reappraisal over time.

I don’t think they can compare to the original as it feels like lightning in a bottle. It came out at the perfect time, fitting perfectly into the 90s zeitgeist at the end of the decade with its dark, edgy and rainy vibe and use of modern technology. No sequel could hope to capture this, and the fact that Neo embarks on a classic hero’s journey is the perfect way to start the story makes the sequel’s job that much harder.

Because of this, I think The Matrix 5 needs a fresh start. Not only did Resurrection receive mixed reviews, it also failed to make a big splash at the box office. Sure, it made its money back and a little more, but not much more. As some have pointed out in recent discussions surrounding these films, it can be a bit difficult for modern audiences to follow, especially considering how different the world it comes from is.

It’s not just the technology that’s changing, but the way we interact with it. In the early days of the internet, until the advent of smartphones, the internet was more of a place you visited rather than the ubiquitous thing it is now. Smartphones and tablets keep us constantly on the lookout, so the idea of ​​a Matrix that can be plugged in and out may not be familiar to younger viewers.

I think there might also be a need for a new hero, one who can go through what the current generation is going through, albeit with all the layers of metaphor and so on. The Matrix is ​​about many things, but most obviously, it’s about the drudgery of everyday life under capitalism, having to do paperwork for an office job that no one really cares about, and dreaming of something more exciting. Life. I think the dream part is pretty relevant for a lot of people right now, but Gen Z isn’t really the office-working type, so even that needs to be modernized to some extent.

Of course, these are just suggestions, and maybe Goddard and co. have some genius ideas that will hook you right away (but I mostly think this is a way for Warner Bros. to cash in on the IP, much like Resurrection is). We’re in the era of reboots, though, and even though I do hate that a good chunk of movies are like this now, so again, if The Matrix 5 does have to come out, it has to be something new, even if it’s just one number. The screen was shown to Hollywood executives.