UPDATE: Sometimes a piece of news sounds too good to be true because, well, it is. A representive for Chad Stahelski reached out to /Film to let them know that the John Wick director's comments were taken out of context, and were in response to a "hypothetical scenario" presented by the interviewer. Original story continues below.
Here's something we didn't expect to hear today: according to John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum director Chad Stahelski, the Wachowskis are currently working on a new Matrix movie, one which will apparently expand upon the mythology established in the duo's original trilogy. This is, to say the least, news to us.
Here's what Stahelski said, via Yahoo! Movies UK:
“I’m super happy that the Wachowskis are not just doing a Matrix, but they’re expanding what we all loved. And if it’s anywhere near the level of what they’ve already done, it wouldn’t take more than a call to go, ‘Hey, we want you to be a stunt guy’ and I would probably go and get hit by a car.”
Pressed as to whether or not Lana Wachowski would direct the film, Stahelski says that he isn't sure, but does confirm that both Wachowskis are working on the project in some capacity. Directly after speaking with Stahelski (on the John Wick: Chapter 3 red carpet, naturally), the outlet repeated this bombshell to Keanu Reeves, asking him if he'd be interested in returning to the franchise, to which Reeves replied:
“That would be a gift. I wouldn’t say no to that. Yeah.”
So, what the hell is going on here? Last we'd heard, Lana Wachowski had entered a sort of "soft retirement" after things came to a close on the siblings' Netflix series, Sense8, and in March of last year we learned that Zak Penn was working on something that sounded a lot like a Matrix reboot (one he claimed the Wachowskis were not involved with).
Is it possible Warner Bros. was able to lure the Wachowskis back to the blockbuster world they created back at the turn of the Millennium? Assuming Stahelski's not telling a fib, are we talking about a full-blown sequel to the original Matrix trilogy here, or a spin-off set within that same world? We know nothing beyond what's contained in the quotes above, but rest assured we're very curious to hear more and will be keeping our ear to the ground for further updates. Stay tuned for those and, while you're waiting, feel free to hit the comments with your thoughts, feelings and fears concerning a return to the world of The Matrix.