Matrix 4 leak reveals a concerning new detail about the Keanu sequel

The Matrix 4 is shaping up to be one of the most interesting films of 2021. 18 years after the original Matrix trilogy wrapped up in 2003, the long-awaited sequel is finally coming. Even better, it features the return of several of the franchise’s core cast members. But despite so much hype surrounding it, very little is known about The Matrix 4, including the plot and even the title.

However, with just a few months to go until its release this December, we may be hearing initial reactions to test screenings that will tell us what to expect from The Matrix 4.

However, an audience member who claims to have attended one screening tells Inverse that while Matrix 4 will be a hit with some fans, its closest comparison in the original trilogy is The Matrix Reloaded.

Whether that sounds like your nightmare or the best-case scenario, read on to find out more about Matrix 4.

The News — Recent tweets from Twitter user “David Manning” (@ViewerAnon) reveal that a test screening of The Matrix 4 was held this week in Irvine, California. Manning claims to have attended the screening for the film — allegedly titled The Matrix Resurrections — and shared some thoughts on the sequel.

Manning called the film “weird, meta, engrossing, surprisingly funny, and ambitious to a fault,” going on to say that, while early buzz will likely be “wildly mixed,” the film should work extremely well for those fans who can get on its wavelength. Manning also noted that it feels more like Cloud Atlas than Jupiter Ascending (two films from Matrix 4 director Lana Wachowski).

David Manning is presumably a pseudonym for the Twitter user, who appears to have inside information on various upcoming films, including Spider-Man: No Way Home and Fantastic Beasts 3. At the very least, we know he was right about Godzilla vs. Kong’s 1-hour-and-54-minute runtime.

Prepare to Be Divided — Speaking directly with Inverse, Manning went into a little more detail on the sequel, saying that it’s “structurally the closest” to the first Matrix film, but “feels closest” to 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded. Manning also stated that their Cloud Atlas comparison was mainly in reference to The Matrix 4’s “grander ambitions” and the fact that it is supposedly “a much better movie” than Jupiter Ascending.

Here’s the full comment:

I would say structurally it's closest to Matrix 1 but still feels closest to Reloaded. The Cloud Atlas comparison is more about its grander ambitions and the fact it's a much better movie than Jupiter Ascending.

Manning wouldn’t divulge any specific plot details about the film, but the comparison to The Matrix Reloaded is notable in of itself. That film — the second in the Matrix franchise — received generally positive reviews when it was first released but has proven to be an extremely divisive sequel in the years since. It’s not nearly as reviled as the franchise’s third film, The Matrix Revolutions, but its quality remains a constant source of debate among fans.

As for the film’s supposed title, The Matrix Resurrections makes sense considering the little we know about the film (it also lines up with earlier leaks). Keanu Reeves and Carrie Anne Moss are set to appear in it, despite both of their characters dying in 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions. Fans have been speculating for years about how The Matrix 4 will explain their return, but there’s been little concrete information to go on up to this point.

While this title doesn’t explain how Neo and Trinity will be brought back from the dead, it does at least confirm that the film will deal heavily with their resurrections.

The Inverse Analysis — That The Matrix 4 feels reportedly more akin to The Matrix Reloaded than the first film makes sense, but it’ll no doubt come as a disappointment to the fans out there who detest the franchise’s second and third installments. Reloaded is a bigger film than the original Matrix and — even with some of its awful CGI effects — features some of the franchise’s best action sequences. (Yes, we are talking about that highway chase.)

Of course, we’ll have to wait and see whether The Matrix 4 actually manages to combine the scale and tone of Reloaded with the same storytelling elegance of the first Matrix. But for all the fans out there who hoped the film would do away with the stylistic and storytelling elements of Reloaded, it may be time to start adjusting your expectations.

The Matrix 4 will be released December 22, 2021 in theaters and on HBO Max.