Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Neil Patrick Harris are among the new faces that will join The Matrix 4 – you can probably expect that title to change soon. The long-awaited sequel will also bring back Keanu Reeves, Carrie Anne-Moss, and writer and director Lana Wachowski, with Jada Pinkett Smith in talks to also return.

Now the cast for next installment continues to grow and has made a new addition. According to new reports, Iron Fist star Jessica Henwick will be joining the cast. More on the report below.

Deadline was the first to report on the news but could not provide any information in regards to who she will be playing. The same can be said for the plot of the film, which has been a mystery since the project was confirmed last month. However, sources close to the project tell the site that Wachowski is looking to have a Neo-like female character leading the story.

It is also speculated that Abdul-Mateen II will be playing a younger version of Morpheus, which begs the question, what happened to Laurence Fishburne that wouldn’t make him return? Especially since the other main actors are returning to reprise their respective roles. Or will this film have flashbacks in between the film? Or maybe The Matrix 4 is a prequel? Who knows. At this point, it is all just speculation.

As far as the creative material goes, Wachowski co-wrote the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. The latter of whom wrote Cloud Atlas, the novel that would later be adapted into a film by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. Filming is expected to begin in January for an unknown release date.

Henwick is best known for her role in Netflix’s Iron Fist, one of the five Marvel Entertainment television shows to be purged after the deal between Disney and the streaming site fell through. She also had roles in Game of Thrones and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The original Matrix serves as the inspiration for many of the action sequences and fight choreography that we see in film today. While the sequels had the same, the narrative really couldn’t hold up. That being said, maybe a little time off between now and the last film is what the franchise needed in order to have a better story. And with the technology that is available now, even better action sequences. We will just have to wait and see.

[Source: Deadline]