Hugo Weaving Will Not Be In THE MATRIX 4

In a new interview with Time Out London, Hugo Weaving says he won't be in Lana Wachowski's highly-anticipated The Matrix 4 (or whatever it ends up being called), which will soon begin filming with returning cast members Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss. What could possibly be keeping Agent Smith from returning to the Matrix fold?

Says Weaving:

"It’s unfortunate but actually I had this offer [for The Visit] and then the offer came from The Matrix, so I knew it was happening but I didn’t have dates. I thought I could do both and it took eight weeks to work out that the dates would work – I held off on accepting [a role in The Visit during that time]. I was in touch with [director] Lana Wachowski, but in the end she decided that the dates weren’t going to work. So we’d sorted the dates and then she sort of changed her mind. They’re pushing on ahead without me."

Well that sucks. Of course it's entirely possible we'll see Agent Smith return with an entirely new look (rumors continue to circulate that we'll see other characters recast as older and/or younger versions of themselves, but that's entirely speculation at this point), but it's admittedly a pretty big bummer to think Weaving and company couldn't make the scheduling work here. 

Anyway, pour one out for Hugo Weaving's time in the Matrix franchise. We'll always miss you, Big Poppa.