Will Smith sent social media into a frenzy after posting a cryptic message pitching the idea for a “Matrix” movie with him as the star.
“In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in ‘The Matrix.’ Smith turned it down,” Smith’s video post, which he uploaded Monday, read. “He chose ‘Wild Wild West,’ believing it was a better fit for him at the time. But the question remains: What would ‘The Matrix’ have been like with Will Smith as Neo?”
The post’s texts were typed out in red print with eery music behind it. The first message was followed by: “Wake up, Will … The Matrix has you … .”
His comment section was immediately filled with folks excited at the idea.
“Make it happen,” the three-time Grammy award-winning rapper wrote in the comments. Even got X users excited.
TheWrap reached out to Warner Bros., which is churning out the fifth film of the franchise that original “Matrix” writer-director Lana Wachowski is set to executive produce, told TheWrap that Smith’s message has “nothing” to do with the studio.
As Smith’s message mentioned, Smith initially turned down the opportunity to star in what would ultimately become Keanu Reeves’ role as Neo in the 1999 action sci-fi film. The film went on to have three sequels and one animated spinoff.
Smith’s opened up about his decision to opt out of the film in a video post called “Why I Turned Down ‘The Matrix.’”
“This is one of them stories I’m not proud of, but it’s the truth … I did turn down Neo in ‘The Matrix,’” Smith said at the time. “The Wachowskis, they came in and it was like, they had only done one movie. They did a movie, and I think it was like ‘Bound,’ and they came in and they made a pitch for ‘The Matrix,’ and as it turns out, they’re geniuses. But there’s a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced in the meeting.”
Smith then reenacts the brothers’ pitch.
“‘Dude, we’re thinking, like, like imagine you’re in a fight and then you, like, jump, imagine if you could stop in the middle of the jump. But then, people could see around you, 360 while you’re jumping, stop jumping, right? Then, we’re going to invent these cameras and people can see the whole jump while you stop in the middle of the jump …’ So, I made ‘Wild Wild West.’”
