The Matrix 4 is officially a thing, but how will the franchise move forward?

The long-rumored fourth installment of The Matrix franchise has officially been confirmed, and it looks like some of the original cast and crew will be returning for the sequel.

It looks like fans of The Matrix franchise will be going down the rabbit hole once again because Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures have officially confirmed a sequel to the original trilogy. There have been whispers of another film set in the science-fiction world the Wachowskis created for a while now, but it looks like the newest installment is more than anyone bargained for.

Not only will co-director Lana Wachowski be returning to direct the fourth movie, but both Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will be reprising their roles as Neo and Trinity, respectively. That’s about all we know about the next film so far, but the casting does raise a few significant questions.

Given the way The Matrix Revolutions ended, most fans didn’t deem it likely that Neo and Trinity would make a comeback, even if the franchise was rebooted — after all, both of their characters perished at the end of the trilogy. But anything goes with science-fiction, so we suppose the filmmakers can find a creative way to bring them back to life. Perhaps their deaths were all part of the simulation as well?

This continuation also begs the question of what the story will be like going forward. While there’s no doubt more of the Matrix world to explore, it’s doubtful that the series will return to the same storylines covered in the original films, particularly if it plans on beginning a “new chapter,” as Warner Bros Picture Group chairman, Toby Emmerich, described.

There’s also the question of whether or not more originals from the trilogy will return for the new movie. Honestly, would it really be The Matrix without Morpheus and Agent Smith involved somehow?

Until more details are released, we’ll be crossing our fingers that Laurence Fisburne and Hugo Weaving decide to at least cameo in the film. For now, though, we do know who will be writing the script: Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell, both of whom have penned bestselling novels.

The Matrix 4 is expected to start production sometime in 2020, so it could be a while before we learn more about the future of the franchise. For now, we’ll be left to theorize just how Wachowski is going to make this work.

What do you think of The Matrix getting a fourth installment? Share your thoughts in the comments below!