The sequels to The Matrix (2 & 3) will soon being shooting in Australia. They will be shot back-to-back, and will be released within a year of each other. Here is the cast and crew information that has currently been released.
Returning Cast
Laurence
Fishburne as Morpheus
New Cast
Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobi
Rumored Cast
Jet Li
Michelle Yeoh
Aaliyah
Harold Perrineau, Jr.
Harry Lennix
Stuart Wells
Crew Information
Writers: Andy and Larry Wachowski
Directors: Andy and Larry Wachowski
Producer: Joel Silver
Studio: Warner Brothers
Production Company: Village Roadshow Pictures
Music: Don Davis
Sequel News:
Keanu Reeves sprained ankle? - There may be a delay in filming for the Matrix 2. Keanu Reeves has somehow reportedly sprained his ankle. It's not known how this injury happened, but Splash News has sixteen pictures of an injured Mr. Reeves. But something odd has happened. Keanu Reeves' personal publicist has told Coming Attractions that Keanu is perfectly fine. He says that his ankle was never injured and that production will continue as scheduled. How can he deny that anything has happened when we have pictures to prove it? Judge for yourself. See the pictures
More Sequel Info - IGN FilmForce has a lot more interesting information today about the sequels. One of the interesting facts is that according to the San Francisco Gate says that some of the street scenes may be shot in "Oakland, Alameda, and possibly other Bay Area locations". Another interesting article that was found was an article by the Sydney Morning Herald about an interview with Keanu Reaves. He talks about the sequels, his life, future movies, and his band, Dogstar. Some exciting, new martial-arts news was hinted at by Keanu. He said that instead of one-on-one fight scenes, there will be a few more complicated multiple fight scenes. A new rumored cast member has also surfaced recently. Stuart Wells, from the recent movie Billy Elliot, has been in talks with the Wachowski brothers. The 18 year old UK actor will be sent more lines soon to continue reading for different parts.
More Money Problems - There are more problems on the Matrix set concerning money. Yuen Woo-ping, the martial arts choreographer for the first film, is considering leaving the two sequels. He says that Warner Brothers is not providing him with enough money and a large enough stunt team to make effective sequels. I personally don't understand why WB won't provide enough money to keep both Jet Li and Yuen Woo-ping with the movies. If they want the sequels bigger and better than the original, their going to have to start supplying the cast and crew with more money. Michelle Yeoh also says that she may not be associated with the sequels. She says that her current priority is with her production company Mythical Films. A full article at IGN FilmForce provides more information
Noooo! Jet Li Not to Appear in the Matrix Sequels? - IGN FilmForce has an article here that says Jet Li may not appear in the two sequels. He was reportedly offered $3,000,000 to appear in the two movies, but he demanded $13,000,000. If he is cut from the film, an Michelle Yeoh may replace him. Michelle Yeoh is an actress from Hong Kong who has appeared in such movies as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Tomorrow Never Dies (the latest James Bond film). I'll post more here as things develop.
Jada Pinkett Smith Confirmation & New Cast Rumors - Jada Pinkett Smith has now officially signed on for the upcoming Matrix sequels. As reported before, she will play Morpheus' love interest. Now, according to Ain't It Cool News, she will be playing Morpheus' former love interest, and will now be involved with the leader of Zion. There are also some new rumored actors who may appear in The Matrix 2 & 3. One is Aaliyah, and R&B singer who has recently starred in Romeo Must Die with Jet Li and will next appear in Queen of the Damned. The second new rumored cast member is Harold Perrineau Jr. who has appeared in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet. The last new rumored actor is Harry Lennix who last appeared in the movie, Love and Basketball.
Release Dates - The release date for The Matrix 2 is currently Christmas 2002, with The Matrix 3 to follow shortly after in Summer 2003. These release dates may change.
The Matrix 2 Storyboards - There have recently been the release of three storyboard images. I don't want to post them here because Warner Brothers has already removed them from Ain't It Cool News, but they can be found in this IGN.com article. The images are of Neo and an unknown person, an agent being punched, and the last human city of Zion. The only thing that this reveals about the plot is that Zion will be included in some way.
Jet Li - It has been confirmed that Jet Li will star in both of the sequels to The Matrix. It still unknown what his role will be in the movie, but with all his experience in action films, he's perfect for any role in The Matrix.
Jada Pinkett Smith - Jada Pinkett Smith may star in the upcoming Matrix sequels. She would play Niobi, Morpheus' love interest.
Zero-Gravity Stunts - It has been rumored that zero-gravity stunts may be used in the sequels. If so, they are testing them out right now. This would mean that after being shot, blood would float around the characters, allowing for a very cool effect.
Zion - It has confirmed by Joel Silver (producer) that Zion, the last human city, will be included in the sequels.
Story Rumors: Keep in mind that these are only rumors and may never happen.
"The Manipulators" - Like Neo, there may be another human that can alter the matrix. This character would be known as a "manipulator" and would be an ally of the machines.
Car Chase Sequence - In the upcoming Matrix 2, there may be a revolutionary type of car chase. Neo would be trying to evade the agents of the matrix while they jump into the bodies of different bodies during the scene. This was reported over a year ago and would be done by Manex Entertainment (the creators of the "bullet-time" effect).
Superheroes - Larry and Andy Wachowski (writers and directors) intend for the upcoming sequels to have a more superhero feel. Neo may now have superhuman powers, which were revealed at the end of The Matrix when Neo flew.
The Matrix Anime Prequel:
Very little is known about the Anime (Japanese Animation) prequel which may follow the release of The Matrix 3. It may not show up until 2004 - 2006. It is not known who will be associated with this film (except probably the Wachowski brothers), but it is very likely that all-new characters will created to star in it.
