Laurence Fishburne confirms he won't be in 'Matrix 4'

While it's long been hoped that Laurence Fishburne would be returning with his blue pills and his red pills, he's confirmed that he won't be appearing in the forthcoming sequel The Matrix 4.

Speaking to New York magazine, he explained that he had 'not been invited' back to play brooding resistance leader Morpheus.

“Maybe that will make me write another play. I wish them well. I hope it’s great,” he added.

Fishburne played Morpheus in all three previous Matrix movies, the man who brings the hacker Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, into the fight against the machine overlords.

Read more: Keanu touts Matrix 4’s ‘beautiful script’

He went on: “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.

“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 Matrix will be the first in the franchise since 2003's Matrix Revolutions, though plot-wise, director and writer Lana Wachowski is keeping things schtum.

However, filming has now resumed in Berlin, following the coronavirus lockdown, which shut down the production back in mid-March.

Reeves praised the tenacity of the crew and the safety measures that are now in place, telling AP: “There's some really thoughtful, effective protocols in place. And the rhythm of film-making has been not really impacted or interrupted in the sense of filming.

Read more: Matrix cinematographer blames Kubrick for sequels

“But that's because of just all the hard work and organisation and again, thoughtfulness that's gone into the protocols.

“We're scrappy. We know how to get stuff done. We're inventive. We think on our feet. And, you know, that kind of spirit, kindred spirit of just coming together. You know, it goes back to like, 'Let's put on a show! We'll get some props, we've got some things, we're going to write!' And that spirit is definitely alive and well on The Matrix.”

Also starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lambert Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick, Priyanka Chopra and Jonathan Groff, it's due out on 1April, 2022.