Hugo Weaving Explains What Happened with THE MATRIX 4 and Why He Won't Be Back as Agent Smith

It’s going to be extremely cool to see Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss back in the roles of Neo and Trinity in director Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix 4. We have no idea what the story will entail, but I hope that it’s as awesome and mind-bending as that first Matrix movie! Unfortunately, Hugo Weaving will not be back in the role of Agent Smith.

It’s not that he didn’t want to be in the film, he actually signed on to return! But, in the end, the director is the one that pulled the plug on his involvement. Weaving talked about how this all went down during a recent interview with ComingSoon, saying:

“Lana Wachowski had rung me at the beginning of last year. We’ve worked together five times, the Wachowski’s and I on three Matrix films, V for Vendetta and Cloud Atlas. I’ve hung out with them all over the world for many, many years. So, yes, Lana was very keen for me to be involved in The Matrix. There was a reading with Keanu, Carrie and myself and a few others from the old family.”

Weaving went on to explain that he had reservations about returning for another Matrix film and that he had slightly mixed reactions after reading the script, but he ultimately agreed to do it:

“I loved a lot of it and wasn’t sure about other bits. Ultimately, we talked about it and when the offer came through to do it for Warner’s I said yes the next day and I talked to Lana.”

Here’s where everything fell apart. Weaving was already scheduled to work at the National Theatre in London from November to April. Wacchowskli wanted to bring Weaving in to shoot his scenes from February until May, and the scheduling just didn’t work. He explained that “Lana decided she didn’t think it was going to work. So, she pulled the plug on the negotiations.”

That’s where his involvement came to an end. With Weaving set to shoot for almost four months, he must’ve had a big part in the film. I’m wondering what the director ended up doing with the story to replace the role of Agent Smith. The actor didn’t share any details on the story, but he does wish that things would have played out differently and that he could have played Agent Smith again:

“It was a shame in one way that I couldn’t be with them all in Berlin, but that was her call. So, that was it really. I know they then started shooting in San Francisco and they were going to shoot in Chicago and they ended up starting in Berlin but it was shut down. But they restarted again. I don’t know how they’re going, but, yeah, it would be lovely to be over there to hang out with them all. I’m very fond of Keanu and Carrie. I haven’t seen them for a while. But I look forward to seeing it.”

The film also stars Aquaman actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who is taking on a lead role that could very well be a young Morpheus. Jada Pinkett Smith is also set to come back in the role of Niobe, while Jessica Henwick and Neil Patrick Harris have also been cast. Harris might end up playing the villain in the story. Jonathan Groff also stars in the film. Maybe his character is the replacement for Agent Smith?

Wachowski will co-write the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. I’ve got high hopes for this new Matrix movie!