Die-hard Matrix fans vow not to watch new movie after the Wachowskis step back

‘The Cabin in the Woods’ director Drew Goddard will take over as director

Devoted Matrix fans have vowed not to watch the franchise’s forthcoming movie after it was announced that a fifth instalment will be made without its creators Lana and Lily Wachowski.

Warner Bros Studios has said that a new movie is in development, with Cabin in the Woods director Drew Goddard taking on filmmaking duties.

The Wachowskis created the franchise in 1999 and have overseen each film since, with just Lana directing the most recent instalment, the 2021 film The Matrix Resurrections.

Lana is named as an executive producer on the forthcoming film, but will not be working on it as a director. It’s due to this reason that some fans have sworn off watching the new movie when it eventually releases, out of loyalty to the Wachowskis.

“Anyone but Lana or Lily Wachowski directing Matrix movies is sacrilegious,” wrote one fan on X/Twitter.

“If it ain’t Wachowski I will not watchski,” said one, as another added: “What do you mean no Wachowskis?”

Others were more diplomatic and said they were excited to see what Goddard, who also directed Bad Times at the El Royale, brings to the franchise.

Lana Wachowski pictured in 2012 (Getty Images)

“As long as Lana and Lilly have creative input on the script… keep em’ coming!” they said.

“Not a bad choice with Drew. But what matters most is the writing,” added another.

One fan thought that a new director’s perspective might benefit the franchise.

“Sometimes a fresh set of eyes is a good thing. And sometimes it’s ok to let something go and leave it be. I hope it’s the former but fear it’s the latter.”

Keanu Reeves in ‘The Matrix’ (Warner Bros)

It remains unclear what actors from the Matrix universe will return. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss have led all of the prior movies as Neo and Trinity, while Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Priyanka Chopra Jonas joined the 2021 iteration.

Plot details haven’t been revealed, but Warner Bros Motion Pictures president of production Jesse Ehrman said that the story will advance the fantasy world without straying too far from what made the series a success in the first place.

Ehrman said that Goddard approached the studio with the idea, and said the new film would still honour the Wachowskis’ vision.

“Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the Matrix world, by both honouring what Lana and Lilly began over 25 years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters,” Ehrman said in a statement.

“The entire team at Warner Bros Discovery is thrilled for Drew to be making this new ‘Matrix’ film, adding his vision to the cinematic canon the Wachowskis’ spent a quarter of a century building here at the studio.”