Who Is The New Morpheus?

The Matrix 4 (The Matrix: Resurrections) arrives over 20 years after “The Matrix: Revolutions” was released in theaters (going to the movies, what a thought), and fans of the legendary sci-fi action series, including myself, are ready for a return to the digital reality. We were greeted with this pleasant surprise. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss had returned to reprise their roles as Neo and Trinity, respectively. Then, about 70 seconds into the trailer, a guy who appeared to be Morpheus arrived, but it wasn’t the Morpheus we were familiar with.

Lawrence Fishburn Is Clueless Why He Isn’t Returning

Fishburne, who played Morpheus in the original three Matrix films, indicated earlier this year that he will not be returning for the fourth. When questioned about the questions he received, the actor told Collider “It would make sense that people would ask me that, so it doesn’t get old. I am not in the next ‘Matrix’ movie, and you’d have to ask Lana Wachowski why, because I don’t have an answer for that.”

But Who Is Morpheus #2 And Why Was Fishburn Recast?

Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is the new Morpheus. Abdul-Mateen II has appeared in films such as Aquaman and the Candyman 2021 remake.
In those films, he demonstrated his acting and action skills. The recasting of the part appears to be planned, given that Fishburne was not requested to return, and the role was filled by a considerably younger actor in Abdul-Mateen II. This suggests that Morpheus’ age and appearance are important to the plot of The Matrix 4, and that the film will either be an origin tale for the character or a reboot – or potentially a little of both. The title ‘Resurrections’ from The Matrix 4 lends credence to this notion, signifying a rebirth into or out of the Matrix.

While it’s been assumed that this refers to Neo and Trinity’s inability to recall each other (or the outside world), it’s plausible that it also pertains to Morpheus. While the recasting of the part undoubtedly lends a meta-layer to the title’s connotations, the trailer does include a brief glimpse of a horrified Morpheus peering into a mirror, implying that he, too, may be oblivious of the titular simulation’s origins. And if that made any sense, let me know.

There’s A Method To Replacing Fishburn

The fact that the recasting is so noticeable adds to how important it is to the story line. Despite two decades of age, both Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are repeating their roles, with Neo, in particular, appearing quite different this time around. With two of the original film’s stars returning, Lana Wachowski’s choice not to call Fishburne back is very definitely due to story necessity – though it’s not inconceivable that he may yet make a surprise appearance.

Although it is unclear why the part has been recast, the teaser appears to support a number of popular ideas about Abdul-Mateen II’s involvement in The Matrix Resurrections, including that he would play a similar role in bringing Neo out of the Matrix. And now you know as much as I do, so take it with a grain of salt and play the “wait and see” game like me.