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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteLaurence Fishburne has said he was not invited to return as Morpheus—and that when he later offered his services for The Matrix Resurrections, the response was not favorable. He has not said who declined the offer or why. The film’s use of a different Morpheus, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, explains the character’s role in the story, but it does not explain the casting decision.
What Fishburne said about not returning
Before the film’s release
In August 2020, Fishburne told New York Magazine, as quoted in TheWrap’s report: “I have not been invited. Maybe that will make me write another play. I wish them well. I hope it’s great.”
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In December 2021, around the film’s release, he again said he had not been asked. As Just Jared reported, Fishburne said: “I am not in the next Matrix movie and you’d have to ask (director) Lana Wachowski why, ’cause I don’t have an answer for that.”
His later account
In an April 2025 appearance on The View, Fishburne added that he had offered to take part. ComicBook.com’s report of the appearance quoted him saying: “I offered my services to the fourth Matrix, and they didn’t respond well to that.” He continued: “It’s not like I didn’t say, ‘I’d like to offer my services.’ I did. And for whatever reason, that didn’t happen.”
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That fills in part of the public account: Fishburne says he made an offer, but it does not identify who responded or give the reason it was not accepted. No on-record explanation from director Lana Wachowski or another decision-maker is established in these reports.
Why is there another Morpheus in the film?
The Matrix Resurrections does not bring back Fishburne’s Morpheus. Instead, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays a different version of the character, presented as a new program associated with Neo and combining elements connected to Morpheus and Agent Smith. This is how the film handles Morpheus within its story; it is not evidence of why Fishburne was left out.
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Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss described the change as part of the story’s creative direction. In interviews reported by Bleeding Cool, Reeves said Lana Wachowski wanted to go in a particular direction with the production and story, while Moss described an evolution in Wachowski’s story. Their comments offer context for the film’s approach, not a specific explanation for Fishburne’s casting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known—and what is not
- Known: Fishburne said in 2020 and 2021 that he had not been invited or asked to join the film.
- Known: In 2025, he said he had offered his services and that the response was not favorable.
- Known: The film features Abdul-Mateen as a new version of Morpheus, and its returning stars described the story as reflecting Wachowski’s creative direction.
- Not established: The identity of the person who responded to Fishburne, the reason his offer was declined, or a specific private motive behind the casting decision.
Claims that scheduling, a dispute, the status of The Matrix Online, or a particular creative disagreement caused Fishburne’s absence should not be treated as fact on the basis of these public statements.
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- All four instalments of the sci-fi action franchise directed and co-written by The Wachowskis.
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