Laurence Fishburne Will Not Reprise His Role In ‘The Matrix 4’: I Have Not Been Invited, I Wish Them Well

August 18, 2020 by Robin Ayers in Film with 0 Comments

Laurence Fishburne

Laurence Fishburne Will Not Reprise His Role In ‘The Matrix 4’: I Have Not Been Invited, I Wish Them Well

Laurence Fishburne, who has been a staple character in The Matrix trilogy says that he has not been invited back to reprise his role as Morpheus in the upcoming The Matrix 4.

The science-fiction movie series began in 1999 and starred Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, who is said to be an even-mannered man with a personality that commands respect.

In speaking with New York Magazine about his absence in the upcoming film, Laurence Fishburne says

“I have not been invited. Maybe that will make me write another play. I wish them well. I hope it’s great.”

Acknowledging that Morpheus is one of his most well-known characters, Fishburne goes on to say,

“It is probably the role that I’ll be best remembered for, which is great; it’s not the only thing I’ll be remembered for, which is better.”

Fishburne has been a concreted presence in the Black community for many years, playing memorable roles in movies and television that are significant to the culture such as Boyz N The Hood, Higher Learning, Akeelah and the Bee and ABC’s Black-ish. And while the African-American culture has benefited from Fishburne’s talents, his credits that date back to the 1970s have also been helpful in pushing him over to a more widespread, mainstream success.

Still, the absence of his character in The Matrix 4 will likely be felt for mega fans of the trilogy. In speaking about Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne states,

“What I get with him is I’ve got Darth Vader in this hand, and I’ve got Obi-Wan in that hand. I’ve got Bruce Lee, I’ve got Muhammad Ali shuffled in there, and I’ve got Kung Fu.”

The upcoming film will still feature Keanu Reeves as Neo, and in October 2019, it was reported that Jada Pinkett Smith was in negotiations to return for The Matrix 4.