Matrix 4 Star Teases Physically Grueling Action Scenes In New Keanu Reeves Movie

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Nostalgia has proven itself as a powerful force in the entertainment industry, as moviegoers return to beloved properties via reboots or long-awaited sequels. Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix 4 is in the latter category, and fans can’t wait to see Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss jack back into the action. There’s also a ton of newcomers joining the franchise, and actress Jessica Henwick is teasing some seriously grueling action sequences.

Jessica Henwick is no stranger to action, as she’s perhaps best known for her roles in Iron Fist and Game of Thrones. She’s one of the many familiar faces that make up the killer cast of The Matrix 4, and it sounds like she’s going to be very involved in the property’s signature action. Henwick described the physical nature of her mysterious role, saying:

I haven’t seen a cut of the film, so I don’t know what’s in it and what isn’t, but I trained every day for months. There are a couple of cast members who didn’t have any physical stuff and they were so sad. How can you be in The Matrix and not get to do any of the good stuff?

Well, that’s a great way of looking at it. While Jessica Henwick had an insane schedule for The Matrix 4 including training every day, she also got to be involved in some exciting fight sequences. Sounds like she didn’t want to miss out on any of the fun.

Jessica Henwick’s comments to Empire offer a brief glimpse into what it was like working on The Matrix 4. Lana Wachowski’s return to her signature franchise wrapped production after an extended shoot that was delayed when sets around the world were shut down. This forced the actors to stay in Matrix shape while waiting to return to work. Smart money says Henwick was one of the stars training hard during that time off.

The Matrix 4 will hit HBO Max for a limited time alongside theaters. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

When the original Matrix movie hit theaters back in 1999, it was a groundbreaking moment in film history that would inspire countless other projects. 360 photography and a new type of slow motion debuted, as well as absolutely dizzying fight choreography. It should be interesting to see how the action of The Matrix 4 is affected by new technology and visual effects.

Aside from the killer cast that recently included Cristina Ricci, not much is know about The Matrix 4. Fans are especially interested in how Neo and Trinity will be brought back into the story considering their apparent deaths in The Matrix Revolutions. The war against the machines was seemingly won, so fans are curious to see if it’ll be a new story entirely.

Despite filming across various cities and countries, The Matrix 4 cast and crew have been guarding the mysterious sequel’s contents. But anticipation is still building, especially as early set videos revealed massive explosions and crazy stunt work. Luckily, we should be getting some more concrete information about Keanu Reeves return as Neo soon.

The Matrix 4 is currently set to arrive in theaters and HBO Max on December 22nd, 2021. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.